


Always and Forever

by SilverKitsune2017



Category: Naruto
Genre: Battle Scenes, Brief female Sasuke, Creative use of Sexy Jutsu, Eventual Dark Naruto, Eventual Happy Ending, M/M, Minor Character Death, No character bashing is intended, Plot Twists, Sakura fans probably won't be happy, Yaoi, dangerous love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-14
Updated: 2018-04-11
Packaged: 2019-03-18 16:19:59
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 26
Words: 105,423
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13685298
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilverKitsune2017/pseuds/SilverKitsune2017
Summary: It irked Naruto, that Sasuke just assumed he would follow him and that he was right. He always would. After that, he realized the truth. He hadn't tried to save Sasuke because he was his friend, he did it because he was in love with him. Unlike Naruto, Sasuke had known for awhile that their bond was stronger than just friendship. Now he just had to wait for Naruto to realize that.





	1. Come With Me

**Author's Note:**

> Author's Note: This is a Yaoi story. That means there will be at least one male x male romantic pairing. It is also a 'dark Naruto' story and will eventually diverge radically from canon. In addition, this is one of my older stories. So it's not as polished as some of my newer stories, but I'm posting it here because I love the plot. If any of that bothers you, you might want to turn back now. For those of you still here, I hope you enjoy this story and reviews are always appreciated.
> 
> Chapter Notation: There will be only hints of dark Naruto in this chapter. He'll transition from good Naruto to dark Naruto over the course of the story.
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing and make no profit off of any of my fanfics.

"Come to think of it, didn't you want to be Hokage? Just think how much closer you would be to achieving your dream, if you had spent all that time training instead of chasing after me. Then again, you've never been very good at focusing on your goals. You are so easily distracted." Sasuke whispers into his ear.

Naruto had finally done it. He, Sakura, Sai, and Captain Yamato had finally found Sasuke. He just never expected the meeting to go like this.

He tries to suppress a shiver. The blonde didn't fully understand why the warmth of Sasuke's breath on his ear or the sound of his voice impacted him this way. Naruto wasn't shivering because he was afraid, but because of some other emotion. An emotion that he couldn't identify at the moment.

"What kind of Hokage would I be, if I can't even save my best friend when he needed me most?" He asks.

Sasuke's smirks. It was almost as if he found Naruto's answer amusing in some way. The blue eyed ninja hated that smirk. It was such a taunting smirk. It made him feel like there was something that the last Uchiha knew, that he didn't. Something that should have been obvious.

"Friends is that what you think we are?" Sasuke inquires and this time his lips almost brushed against the shell of Naruto's ear.

There was something really suggestive about that action. He didn't know why, but it felt incredibly intimate. At that moment, the rest of the world ceased to exist. It was just him and Sasuke.

"Well, more like brothers." He replies.

Sasuke just shakes his head. It was almost as if he was disappointed that Naruto was being deliberately obtuse. Naruto frowns at the response.

"Prove it. Come with me. You can help me kill Itachi."Sasuke says.

Naruto blinks. He couldn't believe it. On one hand, he was ridiculously happy that Sasuke had finally asked him to come with him. On the other, he wanted his best friend to come home with him.

"After Itachi is dead, we'll go back home?" The blonde asks cautiously.

"The Leaf is your home, not mine. It hasn't been my home since I was seven. If you still want to go back to it after I kill Itachi, we can. I don't really care." Sasuke tells him.

Could he really do it? Sasuke was essentially asking him to become a Criminal Ninja. The Leaf would think he was betraying them. Forget about Hokage, he'd be lucky if they ever let him back in as anything other than a prisoner.

"I knew it. You're hesitating. You would never leave your precious village behind. Go home, Naruto. You don't belong in the Sound anyway." Sasuke hisses at him.

"Wait! Bastard! I didn't give an answer! I'll go with you. Someone's got to make sure you don't get your ass killed. Might as well be me." The blonde protests.

Sasuke looks at Naruto skeptically for a moment. It was hard for him to believe that the other ninja would ever desert the Leaf. Still Naruto had never lied to him. Those beautiful sapphire blue eyes were staring back at him with the utmost sincerity. Naruto meant it.

"Alright. But if you can't keep up or if it gets too rough for you, I'm not slowing down." Sasuke warns him as he grabs Naruto and teleports to the top of the cliff with him.

Orochimaru and Kabuto were there. The young Jinchuuriki could tell that the Sannin was less than thrilled by his presence. Sasuke didn't seem to care though.

"Sasuke, did I say that you could bring a pet back to the village?" He asks in a tone that was similar to how one might chastise a naughty child.

"No, but I don't care. If you want to use me as your vessel, you are going to let me take him back with us. Your choice." Sasuke informs Orochimaru.

The last Uchiha didn't want to admit it out loud, but he was touched that Naruto had chosen to follow him. The Leaf Village meant everything to him. For Naruto to give that up, just to be by his side was almost unfathomable.

"Alright. Just this once." Orochimaru says as they all disappear in a swirl of flames.

Naruto has just enough time to see the looks of shock and horror on Sakura, Sai, and Yamato's faces before they completely vanished. He winced. The blonde didn't want to leave them behind, but this was his one chance to get through to Sasuke. He had to take it.

* * *

"Captain Yamato! What do we do now? Should we go after them? Sakura asks in a panicked voice.

"We would have to know where they went. Unfortunately, all we can do is hurry back to the Leaf. We need to report this as soon as possible." He replies.

Sai frowns. Now not only had Sasuke deserted the Leaf, but so had Naruto. Dickless was going to get himself killed. Couldn't he see that?

"Why would Naruto go with him? Sasuke has proven himself to be our enemy many times in the past." The eccentric artists inquires.

Yamato sighs. He didn't really know how to explain that to Sai. The man had been in ROOTS for so long that even the most basic of emotions were now foreign to him. He was still learning how to feel likes like any normal person would. It was a simple question, that had no easy answers.

"It's complicated, Sai. Come on, we have to get moving." He says and what was left of Team Seven races back towards the Leaf.

After traveling for miles and miles, they finally arrived back in the Leaf. The three man squad quickly heads towards the Hokage Tower. Tsunade needed to be informed of this development immediately.

Yamato wasted no time in knocking on the door, despite the late hour. He was grateful when the busty blonde answered it almost immediately. She gestures for them to come inside.

"I assume that if you are waking me up at this hour, that it's important. Have you found Sasuke Uchiha? Wait. Why isn't Naruto with you?" She demands.

Sakura sighs. She takes a deep breath and tries to think of a way to explain what just happened. The pink haired woman wasn't even sure that she fully understood what had just transpired, but she had to try.

"We found Sasuke, Kabuto, and Orochimaru. Naruto and Sai engaged Sasuke in combat briefly. Then Sasuke and Naruto started talking. I couldn't hear what they were saying, but Naruto teleported off with them. I think Sasuke asked Naruto to come with him. I'm not sure why." She explains in a rush.

Tsunade blinks. She couldn't believe that the brat had left with the Uchiha. Well she could, but she couldn't at the same time. He must be out of his mind. Then again, Naruto had never really been good at thinking clearly when it came to his former teammate.

"I see. For the moment, I want Naruto be treated as a Missing Ninja. We have no way of knowing what was said between them. It's possible that he thought that he was protecting the rest of his team by leaving with Sasuke. He might even be under the influence of a Genjutsu. We simply do not know. Sasuke will still be considered a Criminal Ninja." The Hokage decrees.

"Right!" They all say in unison.

The medic pours herself a strong glass of sake. She was really getting too old to deal with this sort of thing. Why couldn't things ever be simple? She should be enjoying her twilight years, not ordering people to chase after rogue ninjas.

"Inform the others. I want everyone to be on the look out for Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha. I want Naruto rescued and Sasuke to be brought back alive, if possible." She states.

The three members of Team Seven nod. They take that as their dismissal and quickly leave. They had a job to after all.

"Do you really think that Naruto can be brought back alive? He must have had a good reason to go with Sasuke." Sai asks Sakura.

"Of course he's going to be brought back alive! So will Sasuke. It's just a matter of time. We didn't come so close to rescuing Sasuke, just to lose them both." Sakura yells at him.

Yamato sighs. He knew that the medic was on edge. Two of her teammates were now in the clutches of a rather unsavory character. Orochimaru was not a man that should ever be taken lightly.

"We'll do our best. For now, we must simply carry out the Lady Hokage's orders. I just don't know what to tell Kakashi. This is going to crush him." He mutters.

Kakashi was still in recovery. He wasn't fit to send out on missions yet. That was why Captain Yamato had temporarily taken over Team Seven.

Sakura frowns. Poor Kakashi Sensei. It was bad enough that he was still hurt, but now he had to find out that two of his students were missing. As far as she could tell, they had both gone with Orochimaru of their won free will. That would just make the knowledge sting all the more.

"I'll tell him. It's probably better if he hears it from me." Sakura says.

"That's very kind of you, Sakura. I must admit that I was not looking forward to delivering this news to him. Alright, you can go tell him and we'll put out the bulletin." He says softly.

The pink haired woman simply nods before darting off. Sakura was heading towards the hospital. Kakashi had a right to know what was going on after all.

* * *

Meanwhile Sasuke and Naruto had just arrived in another of the Sound's hideouts. The blonde follows Sasuke to his, well their room. It seemed that space was something that was in short supply.

Naruto didn't mind sharing a room though. They had shared a tent on missions during their time on Team Seven. It was nothing new to him. Honestly, he was kinda happy about this development. The Sound was creepy and he didn't really want to let Sasuke out of his sight.

"I doubt you are going to last a week." Sasuke tells him once they were safely in their room.

"What's that supposed to mean, Bastard?! I'm just as strong as you. Believe it!" Naruto yells at him.

Sasuke smirks. It had absolutely nothing to do with strength, but temperament. Naruto was essentially an angel. He had never really been exposed to the truth depths of depravity that humanity could sink to. The Sound was going to be a difficult environment for him to adjust to.

"I know you're strong, but you are also pathetically naïve for a ninja. You aren't ready for anything like this. You're too…innocent." Sasuke half taunts and half warns his friend.

"I am not!" The blonde snaps.

"I guess we'll see. Good night, Loser." Sasuke says as he curls up on the bed.

Naruto sighs and hops on the bed next to him. There was only one bed and he definitely wasn't sleeping on the floor. He was far from fussy, but it was more than a little chilly outside.

Curling up to Sasuke made sense. This way, he'd be warmer and if the Uchiha tried to slink off, he would know. He had always been a deeper sleeper than his friend. But he knew he would wake up, if the raven haired ninja crawled over him to leave.

"Is there a reason why you are cuddling up to me like a woman?" Sasuke asks with an arched eyebrow.

"Yeah. It's cold as Hell and I am not cuddling up to you like a woman." The blue eyed ninja growls at him.

"Whatever you say, Loser." Sasuke smirks and closes his eyes.

Naruto blinks. Soon enough the last Uchiha's breathing evened out in a way that told him that Sasuke was now fast asleep. He idly muses that his former teammate must have trained his body to sleep on command. He wished that he could do that.

He sighs and curls up further against the warm body by him. The blonde waits for a second and then decides to give into the impulse. He cautiously runs his fingers through Sasuke's hair.

He had expected the last Uchiha's hair to be hard from gel or its natural spikiness. Instead, it felt more like velvet. Typical Sasuke, even his hair had to be fucking perfect. That was his last thought before falling asleep.

* * *

The next morning, Naruto is awakened to the sounds of moaning. Sasuke was still asleep. He gingerly crawls out of the bed to go see out what was going on.

"Mmm." Naruto hears someone say from just outside the room.

He blinks when he found out what kind of moan it was. That wasn't a moan of pain. That was a moan of pleasure. Two men were engaged in some rather passionate kissing just a few feet away from Sasuke's room.

His eyes widen. He had never seen anything like it. Naruto had always just assumed that guys liked girls and that was the way it was. It never occurred to him that two men might WILLINGLY kiss each other. (He didn't count his two accidental kisses with Sasuke.)

"I told you that you were too innocent." Sasuke says smugly wakes up and joins Naruto.

"This is normal here?" The blonde asks.

"That's actually fairly tame. People are a lot more…open about that sort of thing here than in the Leaf. It's not getting an eyeful that you should be worried about though. It's everything else. Come on Loser, we can get something to eat before I begin my training for the day." He says and walks off.

It irked him. Sasuke just assumed he would follow him. The arrogant bastard. Then again, he was right. Naruto would always follow him.

"Alright. What do they eat here anyway? Baby hearts?" He inquires only somewhat sarcastically.

"Funny. Normal food. Though don't eat anything that you haven't prepared for yourself." Sasuke warns him.

Naruto felt a jolt of white hot fury race through his veins at that. There was only one reason why Sasuke would warn him not to eat food anyone else gave him. His friend was worried about being poisoned. Someone had probably tried to poison Sasuke.

He follows Sasuke and notices he only takes things from places that Orochimaru used. It was a smart strategy. Apparently, he wasn't worried about being poisoned, if he ate what Orochimaru did.

"Oh that's not creepy at all." Naruto mutters as they sit down.

"I never said this place was paradise, but it will give me what I need. The strength to kill Itachi." He says as he bites into a rice ball.

For some reason, that really irritated Naruto. _"But it will give me what I need. The strength to kill Itachi."_ Why couldn't the Leaf do that? Why wasn't the Leaf good enough? Why wasn't he good enough?

"What happens after that though?" The blonde asks.

"I restore my Clan. I don't really care where. If the Leaf will take me back, I'll go there. I hope you realize that by following me, you might have given up on being a Leaf Ninja. Becoming Hokage is going to be very difficult after this." Sasuke warns him.

"Awe thanks, Bastard. I didn't know you cared." Naruto says.

Sasuke frowns. He shouldn't care. It disturbed him that on some level he did. He wanted Naruto to be back in the Leaf. Naruto was happy there. The blonde would be safe there. (Well as safe as a ninja ever was anyway.)

"I don't. I just got tired of you following me around like a lost puppy." He says and shrugs.

"You are such a bastard sometimes! Is it really that hard for you to understand that someone cares about you?" He yells at him.

Naruto suddenly blinks. The hundreds of eyes were suddenly on them. Damn it. Now everyone probably had the wrong idea about them.

"Idiot. You are causing a scene." Sasuke mutters and goes back to eating.

Naruto grumbles. Suddenly, he found the way Sasuke's mouth was moving rather fascinating. He blamed it on the fact he had seen two men kiss only minutes before. He wondered what it was like to kiss Sasuke when he was actually doing it on purpose.

He mentally slaps himself for that thought. What the fuck was wrong with him?! Sasuke was like his brother. Thinking about him that way was sick. It was wrong.

"Well maybe if you were nicer, I wouldn't have to." Naruto snaps.

"You know what I was like before you came here. Besides, you don't like nice. Ask yourself why you chased me and why you aren't back in the Leaf with Sakura or Hinata." He says.

Sasuke knew it was stupid to bait Naruto like that. The blonde was completely oblivious. Hell as far as he could tell, the blue eyed ninja didn't even know that Hinata liked him. Apparently, he had just discovered gay people existed about ten minutes ago. It was almost cruel to provoke him like this.

Part of him didn't care though. Naruto's obliviousness was equal parts endearing and equal parts infuriating. He actually thought that their bond was the bond of mere friends? Even the bond of brotherhood didn't adequately describe it. Sasuke had finally accepted what it really was a few months ago. Love.

"What do you mean? I'm here because you left. They didn't. I would have gone after them too, if they had done what you did." His "friend" says.

Oh dear God, he really was this oblivious. Sasuke wasn't sure whether he should be thankful or annoyed. Maybe it was better this way. Until he killed Itachi, anyone he cared about was in danger. His love would just put a target on the blonde's back.

He had tried to deny it for the longest time. They were friends. It was natural to think about him. That excuse fell hallow.

In theory, he was friends with Sakura. He hadn't hesitated to leave her behind. He might have felt a mild amount of guilt, but he barely spared her more than a second thought these days. No, friends wasn't accurate.

"Just forget it. The training here is intense. Do you think you can keep up?" Sasuke asks with a smirk.

Predictably, Naruto took the bait. Sasuke smiles when he does. Naruto was the one constant in his life. No matter what he did, the blonde would still keep chasing him. He knew exactly how the other man would act in any given situation. In a way, it was comforting.

"Oh I can keep up. I should be asking you that. Get ready to be left in the dust." Naruto says cheerfully.

Sasuke didn't think brothers fit either. He wanted to kill Itachi. He didn't want to kill Naruto. As much as Sasuke realized that he should have killed Naruto, he just couldn't do it. He couldn't severe that bond in such a final fashion. Brothers didn't describe them either.

That left love by default. Sasuke had lagged behind his peers when it came to developing a romantic interest in anyone. He blamed this on the fact that he had to kill Itachi. He didn't have time for silly crushes. That was all well and good until puberty hit.

"You wish." Sasuke replies with a smirk.

Puberty had hit with a vengeance. Sasuke might be a powerful ninja and possess an iron will, but even that was apparently no match for hormones. Instead of getting daydreams about girls, he had been gotten different kinds of fantasies. Ones that generally involved sapphire blue eyes.

Sasuke had tried to pretend it hadn't happened. He had tried to rationalize it. Eventually, he had just decided to stop lying to himself. He was in love with his best friend. A best friend who apparently only vaguely understood that homosexuality existed.

"Come on. I'll prove it. Let's go find that creepy snake and get training." Naruto says.

"Alright. I'm not carrying you back to our room. So if you pass out. That's on you." Sasuke warns him as they head towards the training grounds.

* * *

A few minutes later, Orochimaru arrived. Sasuke could tell that he wasn't too pleased that Naruto was there. He couldn't care less. Maybe the Sannin would quite undressing him with his eyes, if they weren't alone together.

He might have teenager, but he wasn't stupid. Sasuke was well aware that Orochimaru preferred men. Actually, he tended to prefer "men" who weren't even half his age. Sasuke found that disturbing, but in general he didn't particularly care. As long as it was consensual, he didn't care who was sharing whose bed.

"I see you brought your pet. I hope he isn't under an delusions that he is going to take you away from me and whisk you back to the Leaf." Orochimaru muses.

Orochimaru had enough common sense to value Sasuke's body as a vessel more than a plaything. He hadn't tried to touch him. If he had, Sasuke would have killed him. Orochimaru was growing weaker by the hour. The last Uchiha was certain that he could manage it, if push came to shove.

"DON'T YOU TALK ABOUT HIM LIKE THAT. LIKE HE BELONGS TO YOU. LIKE YOU OWN HIM!" The blonde roars at Orochimaru and Sasuke blinks as Naruto charges at Orochimaru.

Sasuke felt himself shiver slightly. Naruto's eyes were now crimson red. His teeth had grown more sharp and the whisker like marks on his face were now jagged. Most disturbingly though was the violent chakra lashing around him.

It was hard to tell if Naruto was acting like a jealous lover or a concerned friend. Either way, it disturbed Sasuke how much either reaction pleased him. Still he wasn't going to let Naruto interfere with his training.

"Naruto, stop it. Orochimaru and I have a deal. It doesn't matter what he says, as long as he keeps his word." Sasuke says firmly.

"You aren't seriously thinking about giving your body to this creep, are you?!" The blonde thunders at him.

"I'll do whatever it takes to defeat Itachi. If that's what it takes, so be it." Sasuke informs him.

In reality, Sasuke had no intention of actually giving Orochimaru his body. By the time the Sannin decided to collect on his debt, Sasuke would be much stronger and Orochimaru would be much weaker. He would simply kill him if he pushed the issue.

Of course he couldn't tell Naruto that. He had to play the part of a good puppet, until he was strong enough to get what he wanted. Itachi's head on a platter.

"There. See? He's here of his own free will and he doesn't mind. Now, Sasuke let's continue with your immunity building." Orochimaru says and gestures for the last Uchiha to follow him.

Naruto blinks. Immunity building. What the Hell did he mean by that? That didn't sound good. He follows.

"Today, we are going to begin building your resistance to snake venom. It's a common poison used in many ninja's arsenals. I'm not entirely certain if Itachi uses it, but one can never be too prepared." Orochimaru states.

"Wait. You are going to inject him with snake venom?! That's insane. You can't possibly be serious!" Naruto protests.

Sasuke was relieved to see the chakra had settled down. Still his eyes were red and his sharpened teeth were cause for concern. It was almost as though Naruto was partially manifesting the Nine Tail's physical traits when angry.

"They've injected me with far worse than that. It's fine, Naruto. It's not pleasant, but it's useful." Sasuke says with a shrug.

Naruto just gapes at Sasuke. He was fucking serious. He was just going to let this creep inject him with poison? This was worse than he thought. Clearly, it was up to him to save his bastard.

The blonde also did not like the way that Orochimaru talked about Sasuke. It made him want to slit the other man's throat. That thought did disturbing him, but some part of his mind was purring in approval at the idea.

**_"It's only natural to want to keep other males away from your Mate."_** He hears Kurama say.

**"My Mate? What are you talking about? Sasuke is a GUY."** The ninja protests.

**_"As you have seen today, that is not necessarily a disqualification. Amongst my kind, gender is irrelevant unless you wish to breed. It seems that humans are the same way to a lesser degree. I really wish you had chosen anyone but the Uchiha brat, but a Mate is a Mate. I would approve of you ripping the throat out of the Sannin either way."_** Kurama informs him.

Great. Just great. Now the fox demon inside his mind, thought that he was in love with Sasuke. Could his life get anymore insane and why didn't that thought disturb Naruto as much as it should have?


	2. An Option

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Naruto adjusts to life in the the Sound Village, he considers an option that he previously didn't know existed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews. I hope you enjoy this chapter.
> 
> Chapter Notation: No Sakura bashing is intended. I just think that is probably how Sasuke would view pink hair.

"Sasuke, are you sure that you want to do this? Do you want to let him inject you with snake venom?! That's crazy! You know that's crazy!" Naruto protests.

"Naruto, it's fine. It's not a fatal dose. It's just enough to start building an immunity. Orochimaru needs my body to be his next vessel. He's not going to try to kill me." Sasuke says as he sits on a table and the blonde watches in horror as Kabuto gets out a syringe.

The silver haired ninja had slipped in sometime during Naruto's "discussion" with Orochimaru. It was creepy how silently all the Sound Ninjas could move. Any of them probably could have snuck up on the blonde, gutted him like a fish, and he wouldn't have noticed until it was too late.

"Sasuke is absolutely right. Though I must admit, your concern for your friend is rather touching." Kabuto muses as he swabs Sasuke's hand and injects the venom.

Naruto thought that was stupid. He was worried about Sasuke getting an infection, when he was shooting snake venom into his arm?! Talk about mixed up priorities!

"AHHH!" Sasuke hisses in pain once the venom starts running through his veins.

"Sasuke!" Naruto calls out and tries to rush over to his friend.

Orochimaru shakes his head in amusement. How adorable. Sasuke had a pet dog. Well, perhaps pet fox would be more accurate. The fact that Naruto was the host of the Nine Tails made him very useful. As long as he had Sasuke, he would have the Nine Tails. That could only be to his advantage.

"Naruto, it's fine." Sasuke says through gritted teeth.

"He's correct. It isn't a lethal dose. Sasuke, you may return to your room now. You won't be able to train with that in your system anyway. Let your system get used to it and we'll gradually increase the dosages, until you become immune to it." The silver haired man says.

Sasuke gives Kabuto a dirty look. He didn't particularly appreciate having the procedure explained to him as if he was a dim-witted child. He understood how this process worked quite well. He cools his anger though. It was possible that he was just explaining this for Naruto's benefit, more than anything else.

"It's not fine! They just poisoned you." Naruto growls.

"Loser, I really don't want to argue about this now. I told you, if you couldn't handle it that was your problem. I'm handling it." The last Uchiha snaps at him.

Naruto couldn't be angry though. If he had just been shot up full of snake venom, he wouldn't be very friendly either. He grabs Sasuke's hand and tugs him up.

"Whatever. Let's get you back to your room, Bastard. You don't want to pass out here in front of Four Eyes and Snake Eyes." The blonde says.

Sasuke couldn't really argue with that logic. His lips twitch upwards in amusement at the nicknames though. Leave it to Naruto, to make him want to laugh immediately after being poisoned.

"Good point." He says and walks off with Naruto.

* * *

Once they were back in their room, the blonde had Sasuke lay down on the bed. He didn't like seeing how sluggish Sasuke's movements were. They were slightly jerky.

Sasuke didn't do jerky. The last Uchiha was always so graceful. The way his friend moved, had always reminded Naruto of a jungle cat. All deadly grace.

"Tell me that you aren't going to do something that stupid again. I know that they wouldn't try to intentionally kill you. That freak wants your body too much for that, but still. You are making yourself sick for no reason." Naruto begins.

Sasuke finds himself smiling and quickly rolls over on his side to hide that fact. If the blonde saw him smiling, all hell was going to break loose. He didn't want the blue eyed ninja to know that he was happy that Naruto was fussing over him. So it was easier to hide that fact when his back was towards his former teammate.

"Do you really think that Itachi is the kind of ninja who uses snake venom as a weapon? He's just trying to give you immunity to poisons, so that his next body will be practically indestructible." The blonde finishes.

"I realize that. I don't think Itachi would use snake venom, but that doesn't mean the rest of the Akatsuki doesn't. Besides, it's likely that we'll face other opponents before we find him. It never hurts to be too prepared." Sasuke replies and Naruto saw him shrug his shoulders.

The boisterous ninja was just about to issue a much deserved verbal tongue lashing to his best friend, when he processes what Sasuke had just said. _"Besides, it's likely_ ** _WE'LL_** _face other opponents before we find him."_ For some reason, that single word made Naruto ridiculously happy. Sasuke was finally treating him as an equal. Someone that he trusted to fight along his side and didn't just put up with because they were on the same team.

"Yeah. I guess you're right. I still don't like it though. I don't like seeing you in pain, especially if it's preventable." He admits.

"I know. That's what makes you a good person. You care about other people." Sasuke says as he shuts his eyes in hopes of sleeping off the worst of the effects.

Naruto almost did a double take for two reasons. The first one was because Sasuke had complimented him. The last Uchiha generally didn't do compliments. The second was because of the implication. _"That's what makes_ ** _YOU_** _a good person."_ Sasuke didn't directly come out and say it, but the implication was that Sasuke didn't view himself as a good person.

"You are too, you know? You just like to hide it by being a bastard. I wouldn't have followed you, if I thought you were just as psychotic as Orochimaru or the rest of these creeps." He tells him.

"No, Naruto. I'm not. Don't go looking for things that aren't there. I might have been once, but I'm not anymore. It doesn't matter though. Just try not to destroy my room while I sleep." Sasuke instructs him and yawns.

Naruto sighs and nods. It was depressing to know that Sasuke viewed himself that way. The blonde refused to believe it though. Sure, he might be really rough on the outside. But on the inside, he was still a good person. Sasuke had saved him from Haku and Sakura from a couple Sound Ninjas (and Gaara) before. He wasn't a bad person.

**_"If you wanted, I could lend you my chakra. You could kill Orochimaru. I may not care for the Uchiha's Clan or his personality, but he's your Mate. It really is the principle of the thing. If someone poisoned my Mate, I would have slaughtered them."_** Kurama offers.

**"That's really tempting, but he's not my Mate. I get that it's different for demons, but Sasuke is a guy. Besides, I doubt he'd be interested anyway. He wants to restore Clan. I'm not even sure how two kunais would work together, but I know they can't make a baby."** Naruto replies.

It was at that point, that Kurama decided to be "helpful." He flashes several images across Naruto's mind. It was almost like he was forcing him to watch a movie. A very erotic movie.

It only lasted about a minute or two, but it was enough for Naruto to get the general point. The Nine Tails couldn't help but laugh at the flustered blonde's reaction. Sometimes, it could be amusing to tease your host.

**_"Well, now I think you understand how you would mount him or more than likely how he would mount you."_** The Tailed Beast continues.

**"Why the Hell do you think that he would do the "mounting?!"** Naruto demands.

**_"The Uchiha clearly controls every aspect of your relationship. You chased him for years. You gave up your territory to follow him. He's also highly competitive and aggressive, so it would only make sense this dynamic would carry over to any coupling that you might engage in."_** Kurama points out as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Naruto twitches. Maybe the furball had a point. Sasuke did control everything about their relationship, but there was no way in Hell that he was topping. Wait. Why was he even discussing this?!

**"It doesn't matter. He doesn't like men that way. Besides, if we were together, I would totally be the one throwing the kunai."** Naruto says smugly.

**_"Well then I guess you are going to need my guidance. Uchihas don't submit easily. If he's anything like Madara, you are going to have your hands full. The most important thing is to be firm with your Mate in beginning. You have to assert your dominance."_** Kurama begins.

Naruto groans and smacks his forehead. Great. He was getting love advice from a fox. He didn't want to "mount" Sasuke anyway. Stupid fox.

**"Yeah. I'm sure that works well for demons, but we are humans. The same rules don't apply to us. Thanks anyway, but I don't love him like that. I love him like a brother."** Naruto replies.

**_"Sasuke wants to kill his brother. Are you certain that is the metaphor that you wish to go with?"_** The Nine Tails inquires slyly.

**"That's not the point!"** The blonde ninja yells at the demon.

Naruto could only count his blessings that Sasuke couldn't hear any of the conversation going on in his head right now. If he could, he was sure that the last Uchiha would have tried to kick his ass. (Not that he would have succeeded, Naruto was totally confident he could beat Sasuke in any fight…but still.)

**_"I can see the physical appeal and there is no denying he's strong. He's going to be difficult though. I can see this already. He'll fight you. Tooth, nail, and claw. But the stubborn ones do tend to be the best lovers and most loyal Mates, once you Claim them."_** The Nine Tails continues contributing his "delightful" commentary.

**"SHUT UP! YOU, PERVERTED FOX!"** Nauto growls and temporarily breaks the connection.

He had gotten better at doing that over the years. It was a good thing too. Sometimes Kurama could be great. Other times, he could be really annoying. Like now for instance. This was definitely one of those times.

* * *

Meanwhile back in the Leaf Village, Tsunade sighs. So far there had been no sightings of Sasuke or Naruto. She couldn't believe that it had come to this. Well she could and she couldn't.

"I never thought that the Uchiha would ask Naruto to come with him. Stupid brat. What was he thinking? How could he accept such an offer?" She mutters as she pours herself another glass of sake.

She knew how of course. The blonde highly doubted that Naruto was even aware of it, but he was clearly in love with the Uchiha brat. This was unfortunate. Why couldn't Naruto love Hinata or even Sakura? That would have been much easier.

"Well I suppose that love has never been very logical." The medic observes in annoyance.

That wasn't what mattered most now though. The most important thing was finding a way to get Naruto back. Preferably, they would manage to drag the Uchiha's ass back as well. If they didn't, the knucklehead would just go after Sasuke again.

"If nothing else, one has to admire his dedication." She notes in amusement.

"Admire whose dedication, My Lady?" Shizune asks as she heads inside Tsunade's office.

The busty Hokage rubs the back of her head sheepishly. Damn it. She had been talking to herself again. She really shouldn't do that. It was a bad habit. People were going to start wondering if she had gone insane, if she kept it up.

"It's a long story. Shizune, have we heard anything about Sasuke and Naruto since we sent that team of ANBU out?" She asks.

Shizune sighs and shakes her head. Unfortunately, there was no news. The brunette couldn't help but be worried for the boisterous blonde. She had a soft spot for him and she knew that Tsunade did as well. (Even if she might never admit that out loud, they both knew it was true.)

"I could send out another team if you want. I doubt they could have gotten far yet. Surely, they must expect that we would send someone after them and they would have tried to cover their tracks by taking detours." The young woman offers.

"Very well. Send out another team." The Lady Hokage agrees.

She doubted another team would do much good. Still it was something. She had to do something or else she would go insane. The busty blonde had never been very good at sitting around and waiting while others were out in the field.

"He'll be alright, Lady Tsunade. Naruto has a habit of always landing on his feet." Her assistant says.

"I hope that you're right. I don't know if that's going to be the case this time. We both know what Orochimaru is capable of. Naruto was never cut out to stay in a village like that. Almost nobody is really, but especially not someone like him." The other woman responds.

Shizune could only nod her head in agreement. That much was obvious. She didn't know the whole story about Orochimaru, but what she did know made her blood run cold. That man's ambition had made him borderline psychotic and they all knew it.

"Is there anything else that I can do for you, My Lady?" She asks gently.

"Get me some more sake. I have a feeling that I'm going to need it before this is all over." Tsunade tells her.

"Of course, Lady Tsunade. I'll be right back." The assistant says as she darts off to return the sake.

Shizune frowns. This was bad. Tsunade was going to drink herself silly. If the Hokage felt helpless enough that alcohol was her only coping mechanism, things were even more bleak than she had first thought.

"I hope you are safe, wherever you are." The mousy brunette says as she thinks about Naruto and follows her Hokage's orders.

She shivers. Shizune could only imagine what sort of horrors the friendly ninja might be experiencing at the Sound. Even by ninja standards, the amount of violence and sadism that went on in that place was overwhelming to say the least. They could all only wait and hope that somehow Naruto would make it back to the Leaf with his sanity intact.

* * *

A few days passed by and life in the Sound settled into something that resembled a routine. Naruto would wake up and quickly shower. Sasuke would wake up and shower not long after that. They'd eat breakfast and then head off to go train.

The training would be intense, pushing even Naruto almost to his breaking point. Honestly, the blonde had no idea how Sasuke had put up with this type of regime for three years. It was practically torture.

Once training was over, they would eat and then Sasuke would head off to go "study" some forbidden scrolls. This meant that Naruto would wander around the Sound while he waited for Sasuke to come back. When he finally did, it was usually time for them to get some sleep.

"Hey, bastard. I was kinda wondering about something." Naruto says after about a week had passed.

"Yes, you should get a new wardrobe. Orange is a horrible color for a ninja to wear. You are basically putting a target on your back." Sasuke says offhandedly as he sharpens his kunais.

Sasuke sharpened his weapons A LOT. He was borderline obsessive about it really. At first, Naruto thought that his friend might have a mild case of OCD. Now he knew why Sasuke did it though.

Sasuke did it so he would have something to do. He did it go give him a task to focus on and to keep him sane. It was also a productive use of his time.

"Pft. I ain't taking fashion advice from someone who wears that ugly purple belt all the time. What is up with that? Why does Orochimaru make everyone wear that stupid thing?" Naruto asks.

That and it appeared to be something of a nervous tick. Sasuke might never admit this, but he was obviously nervous. His entire body was always coiled, like a cobra waiting to strike. Naruto knew why. Itachi was still out there somewhere and Sasuke wanted to be ready to fight him at a moment's notice.

"Loser, did you want to ask me something or did you want to talk about clothes all day?" Sasuke asks.

"Right. Um well you seem pretty used to…everything that goes on here. Like it doesn't phase you." Naruto begins awkwardly.

Sasuke raises an eyebrow. He knew that Naruto was trying to make a point. Probably a significant one, but he was beating around the bush too much to be coherent.

"Yes, that tends to happen when you live somewhere for three years. You get used to it. So?" He asks.

"Well when I first came here and saw those two men kissing, it didn't seem to bother you at all." He continues.

Oh. So that was it. Sasuke knew that he had to proceed cautiously here. Did he really think that Naruto would ever accept the fact that he was gay and want to be with him? Probably not.

Naruto was too sexually repressed and liked living inside the neatly drawn lines that society had given to him. Still if there was a chance of that ever happening, this was probably a rather crucial moment. Most likely this single question would determine if they would stay "just friends" or become lovers later down the road.

"Why would I have a problem with it? They aren't bothering me. It surprised me at first, but now it doesn't upset me anymore than seeing a man and a woman together would." Sasuke shrugs.

Sasuke decides that acting casual about it was probably the best approach. If he acted too into it, Naruto would be suspicious. If he acted like it had taken forever to get used to, that might turn the blonde off from it entirely.

"So it doesn't bother you at all?" Naruto asks.

"No. I'd rather have them sucking face than harassing me. Besides, love is love. Does it really matter what someone's gender is?" He replies.

Alright, Sasuke knew that the term love was obviously stretching it. More than likely, they had both just been in the mood and had grabbed the nearest willing body. Still this was Naruto. You had to speak in romantic terms.

The last Uchiha was almost positive that the concept of lust was probably a foreign concept to someone like Naruto. The blue eyed ninja was the type of person that likely couldn't fathom that you could be physically attracted to someone and not be in love with them. So yeah, he was going to sugarcoat things a bit.

"I don't know. I guess it just kinda shocked me. I didn't know that sort of thing existed. I never knew that it was an option, you know?" The blonde asks.

"Well, it is. It's actually fairly common." Sasuke says.

"I never saw it happen in the Leaf Village though. I've never seen two men kissing each other there." His friend observes.

Yeah. He was going to have to tread carefully here. Naruto was obviously rather innocent when it came to anything sexual in nature. (Which was odd because he had been taught by two of the biggest perverts that Sasuke had ever met.)

"It happened, just not in public. It's pretty common during missions for two men or two women to seek… _comfort_ from each other. It's an easy way to take your mind off things without having to worry about getting your lover pregnant. In the Leaf, it's not really spoken about. But it's probably the worst kept secret in the ninja world." Sasuke informs him with a shrug.

Naruto blinks. He tries to wrap his mind around that. What Sasuke was saying is that two men might just be with each other for stress relief? Suddenly, he was picturing Gai and Kakashi Sensei together.

"I think I'm going to be sick." Naruto mutters.

"It's not THAT unusual." Sasuke says as he watches Naruto rush to the bathroom.

"No! No. It's not that. It's just that I pictured Gai and Kakashi Sensei together in that way." The blonde says after he finishes emptying the contents of his stomach.

Sasuke blinks. Great, now _**he**_ was going to be sick. Yuck. The thought of Kakashi and Gai Sensei dating was enough to make even Sasuke feel uneasy and that was certainly saying something because he lived in the Sound Village.

"Naruto, next time some stray thought like that enters your mind, please don't share it. I didn't need those mental images." Sasuke glares at him.

"Sorry. It was just really bad." He mumbles.

Sasuke shakes his head. He had no idea what he was going to do with Naruto. Maybe he should just forget about even thinking about it for now. He could focus on his love life, after he killed Itachi. Yes, that might be better.

"Yeah. It was. So does that answer your question?" He asks.

"Well sorta. I mean you just act like it's no big deal. You've never really been interested in girls. So I was wondering if you were, you know wired differently?" The blonde asks cautiously.

It was obvious that Naruto expected a beating for asking that question. Sasuke mentally goes over his options. He could deny it. Sasuke could pretend that he liked women.

That would make Naruto more comfortable, but he was pretty sure the blonde knew when he was lying. If he told him the truth, his "friend" was probably going to bolt out of that room faster than he could say Chidori. Decisions, decisions. Why couldn't anything ever be easy?

"Why does that matter to you?" Sasuke asks.

He needed to stall for time while he thought through the best answer. Damn it. Sasuke had never expected that Naruto would ask that question so soon.

"Well you are my best friend. That and I'm curious. I mean I'm not going to stop being your friend, if you like guys more." The blonde assures him.

_"I'm not going to stop being your friend, if you like guys more."_ Sasuke had never wanted throttle someone more than he wanted to throttle Naruto at that moment. There was that friend **BULLSHIT** again!

"Don't make a big deal out of it, but yeah. Girls have just always been annoying." Sasuke shrugs.

He figured if he treated the whole thing like how he had as a Genin, maybe that would freak Naruto out less. It was just a guess, but it was all he had to go on for now. The last Uchiha glances at Naruto warily to see how he was going to react to that bombshell.

"Oh. I guess that makes sense. I probably should have known. I mean you had all these girls throwing themselves at you all the time and you never showed any interest. That and your hair is just a little too perfect." The blue eyed ninja states.

"Really? That's what you are going with? My hair is too perfect for me to like girls? Naruto, you are an idiot." Sasuke says and tries to bite back a laugh.

It really was such a Naruto thing to say. He couldn't even be offended. The blonde just said whatever popped into his head. He had no filter.

That was probably one of the reasons why Sasuke loved him. There was no guile there. Naruto was probably the only living person who had always been honest with Sasuke. He appreciated that.

"Hey! Don't laugh at me, bastard. This is all just really new to me! That's all. But yeah, your hair is prettier than Sakura's. It's weird!" Naruo yells at him.

"What's weird is that you are comparing MY hair to that monstrosity that is on her head. She should just dye it. Honestly, pink hair on a ninja? It makes her stick out like a sore thumb." Sasuke observes.

Naruto felt the need to defend his friend. Sakura was just born with pink hair. Besides, it was really pretty. She shouldn't have to dye it.

"You are such a bastard sometimes. Besides, it's really pretty. So she doesn't need to dye it!" He exclaims.

"But you think my hair is _prettier."_ Sasuke says as he stresses the last word in a mocking tone.

"DAMN IT. YOU ARE SUCH A BASTARD. YOU KNOW WHAT I MEANT!" Naruto growls at him and lunges at Sasuke.

That's when the two young men began grappling with each other. They were rolling around so fast, it was hard to tell who was on top at any given time. Naruto found himself smiling. It was almost like three years hadn't passed. It was almost like things were back to normal. Maybe he could still reach Sasuke and find a way to bring him back home, after all.


	3. Only Natural

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Naruto and Sasuke perform some introspection about their relationship, Kurama and Kabuto decide to explain a few things to our favorite duo.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews. Anyway, I hope that you all enjoy this chapter.
> 
> Chapter Warning: Kurama's views on certain topics are prehistoric. Oh and Naruto is still coming to gripes with his sexual orientation. So the way he views romantic relationships is a bit childish. With that in mind, happy reading.

A few days later, Naruto watches as Orochimaru helps Sasuke get a Snake Contract. Honestly, why did it have to be snakes? Snakes were creepy.

**_"You wouldn't mind seeing the Uchiha's though."_** Kurama laughs.

**"Will you just stop that?! I do not want to see his snake. I don't want to see his Summon or his other snake. You have to be the most perverted fox on the planet. You are worse than Pervy Sage!"** Naruto exclaims.

Sasuke smirks when Aoda appears. He was a truly massive snake. Finally, he had learned something useful. This Summon might very well be able to help him against Itachi.

"Master Sasuke." The snake greets him.

Sasuke smiles and pats the snakes scales. Naruto blinks. It was weird. It was almost like Sasuke had gotten a puppy. A really scaly puppy, but still a beloved family pet instead of a lethal summon. Leave it to Sasuke to find a giant serpent…cute.

**_"You're just jealous that Sasuke is petting him and not you."_** The Nine Tails taunts him.

**"Will you shut up?!"** Naruto growls at Kurama.

Sasuke turns around and gives Naruto a funny look. The blonde blinks. Damn it! Had he growled out loud? He must have. Otherwise why would Sasuke be looking at him that way?

"Loser, are you alright? Why are you growling?" Sasuke asks and raises an eyebrow at Naruto's odd behavior.

"Yeah. I'm fine. It's just Kurama is being really annoying. That's all." The blue eyed ninja replies.

Hmm that caught Orochimaru's interest. So the annoying blonde could communicate with the Nine Tails. He even had a name for the beast. That implied a certain level of closeness. Interesting.

"The Nine Tails has a name?" The Sannin asks.

Naruto frowns. He didn't like the way that Orochimaru was suddenly looking at him. The last thing he wanted, was to attract this creep's attention. He knew that the freak's favorite followers didn't tend to live long. (His pawns tended to die even sooner than that, but in less gruesome ways.)

"That's none of your business. I was talking to Sasuke, not you." The former Leaf Villager snaps at him.

"Sasuke, will you please teach your pet some manners? This is getting most irritating." The amber eyed man demands.

Sasuke sighs. Honestly, he was starting to regret bringing Naruto out here to watch him learn how to Summon Aoda. The last Uchiha had simply wanted to prove to Naruto, that he could do it too. (The hyper ninja had already had a contract with toads for awhile and Sasuke was eager to prove that he could perform Summonings as well.)

"If you two children are done provoking each other, what's next?" He asks Orochimaru.

"I thought it would be beneficial to practice your swordsmanship." The Sannin ignores the insult.

This didn't make Naruto happy. He knew that Sasuke was the only person in the Sound that Orochimaru would allow to get away with insulting him. He damn well knew the reason why as well. That's what made it so infuriating.

Now that he had lived in this depraved village for awhile, the initial shock that homosexuality existed had worn off. Now the blonde knew exactly what that look in Orochimaru's eyes meant when he looked at Sasuke.

It was lust. It was bad enough that the older ninja wanted Sasuke's body, but now it looked like that he wanted it in more ways than one.

**_"I still wouldn't mind giving you the power to slit his throat. His presence annoys me as well."_** Kurama offers helpfully.

**"Don't tempt me. As much as I would love to rip his throat out, Sasuke would flip. He's convinced that this freak can help him kill Itachi somehow."** The blue eyed ninja replies in irritation.

It should have disturbed him. Naruto knew that he should be worried that he was so eager to kill someone just for looking at Sasuke the wrong way. Killing was supposed to be a last resort, not something you **_ENJOYED._**

So why did the thought of ripping Orochimaru limb from limb, make him feel so giddy? Why did he have all these gruesome fantasies about straining the grass red with the Sannin's blood? He never used to be like this. He never used to have such sadistic thoughts until he came to the Sound.

"Works for me." Sasuke says as he unsheathes his sword and Orochimaru forms his own.

He watches as the two fighters clash. Naruto would probably never get used to it. Just watching the way Sasuke moved had always fascinated it. Unfortunately, now he had a very perverted fox to add commentary to the show.

**_"He's quite fast. You are going to have difficulty catching him, if he tries to bolt. He does have a nice backside by human standards though. You should know that. You've chased him for years. I imagine you've grown used to the view."_** The Nine Tails taunts him.

**"Will you just shut up?!"** Naruto thunders at Kurama.

**_"How big do you think his other sword is? Do you think he'd be able to play with yours as well as he does that one?"_** He continues.

Sasuke was fast, but Orochimaru had decades of experience on him. The last Uchiha holds his own admirably, but eventually the battle ends. Orochimaru's blade was at Sasuke's throat.

The raven haired ninja's eyes narrow. Damn it. Orochimaru had won again. He was getting closer though. If he was ever going to defeat Itachi, he would have to best Orochimaru first.

"Get away from him!" Naruto seethes at Orochimaru.

Sasuke blinks and turns around when he felt that familiar animalistic chakra again. Naruto was losing control. It had happened more than once during their time at the Sound and even before that. The blonde really needed to work on his temper.

The young ninja knew that it was probably wrong, but there was something incredibly seductive about it. The way that the charka seemed to almost have a will of its own. He could feel the very air crackle with power around Naruto.

"Naruto, I am training with Sasuke. I would not harm him. Sasuke, control your pet. This is getting rather vexing." Orochimaru hisses at him.

"He's not my pet. Naruto can do whatever he likes, as long as he doesn't get in the way of my killing Itachi. Besides, I thought you wanted to see what the Nine Tails could do." Sasuke reminds him with a smirk as he remembers that particular conversation.

_"Sasuke, Naruto is the host to the Nine Tails." Orochimaru said to him one day while the last Uchiha was reading an ancient scroll._

_"I'm aware of that. What's your point?" The raven haired ninja replied, not even bothering to look up from his scroll._

_He hoped that the Sannin wasn't planning something. It was one thing for Orochimaru to play his games with HIM, but Naruto was another matter. The blonde should never be subjected to Orochimaru's twisted scheming._

_"He possesses a great power. That's an almost limitless supply of chakra. It's a shame that it is wasted on someone who can not see its full potential." The older man offered._

_Sasuke didn't exactly know where this was going, but he knew he didn't like it. Orochimaru was definitely planning something. He supposed it was up to him to get to the bottom of it._

_"Stop beating around the bush. What do you want?" He snapped._

_"He seems rather fond of you. If he were to become a more loyal member of this village, that would be extremely beneficial to us. Just think of all the things that may be made possible through the use of that beast's chakra." The Sannin continued._

_Sasuke frowned. Orochimaru wanted to experiment on Naruto. Well more specifically, he wanted to experiment with the Nine Tail's chakra. Still Naruto was the host and that would impact the blonde in a very real way. He couldn't let that happen._

_"You're still beating around the bush. What do you want?" Sasuke demanded._

_"I'm just saying if you were to become his lover, he would likely be in a better mood. If you asked him, he would probably agree to some testing." He stated._

_Sasuke's blood suddenly boiled with rage. He wanted to slam the other man against the wall and just end him. How dare he?!_

_Where did Orochimaru find the fucking nerve to ask Sasuke to seduce his best friend (his only friend really)? He wanted Sasuke to use seduction in order to trick Naruto into becoming a lab rat?! It was outrageous!_

_"Fuck you. If you want to learn more about the Nine Tails, you can ask him. I'm not going to become your pawn, just to make your life easier." He hissed._

_Geisha was being generous. Orochimaru was almost asking Sasuke to take up the world's oldest profession in a way. Fuck that! Uchihas were no one's playthings!_

_"Calm yourself. It was merely a suggestion." Orochimaru replied with a fake smile that made Sasuke want to rip his teeth out._

_"If you make a suggestion like that again, I'm not going to become your vessel and I will kill you. Besides, Naruto only likes women. In case it escaped your notice, I'm a man." Sasuke snarled at him._

"That was not what I meant and you know it!" Orochimaru hisses at him.

It was too late though. Naruto had lost it. The sight of that sword against Sasuke's neck had set him off. Orochimaru was soon in the fight of his life.

Sasuke blinks. The ferocity was almost breathtaking. It was flattering in a way that Naruto would get that riled up over training.

"Naruto, you've proven your point. Knock it off. We still need him to defeat Itachi." The last Uchiha says.

The raven haired ninja didn't like Orochimaru. Quite honestly, he would have preferred him dead. But he was too useful to kill at the moment.

That and while Orochimaru might be sick, he was still a formidable ninja. He didn't want anything to happen to Naruto. Fighting Orochimaru meant that was a real possibility.

"Alright. You are lucky." The blonde growls at Orochimaru.

Kurama wasn't making matters easier. He was showing Naruto all the ways that he could have ended that snake. Each one was more graphic than the last.

"Sasuke, come. It's time for your monthly examination." Orochimaru says and Sasuke follows him.

Naruto twitches. Every month, Sasuke would get a physical. The freak wanted to make sure that his vessel was in perfect health. Only the best would do for his Royal Creepyness's body.

The blonde didn't care that Creepyness wasn't a word. It fit. Nobody could argue with the accuracy of the label. Orochimaru was very creepy. Naruto had no idea how Sasuke had put up with him for three years.

* * *

"Kabuto, I want a full report on his physical condition as soon as possible." Orochimaru informs him.

"Of course, Lord Orochimaru." The silver haired man says as the Sannin leaves.

"I felt the Nine Tail's Chakra." Kabuto comments as he begins taking Sasuke's vitals.

Sasuke mentally curses. He didn't know how, but somehow Kabuto was about to get very annoying. He was sure of it.

"As I'm sure you know by now, that happens sometimes when Naruto gets angry. Orochimaru and I were training. He won the sword fight and his blade was against my throat. It set him off." Sasuke replies casually.

He wouldn't have told Four Eyes that, if he didn't have to. Still there was no point in keeping that a secret from the medic. Orochimaru was going to tell him what happened anyway.

"I notice that it seems to be triggered whenever Naruto thinks you are in danger or that someone is behaving inappropriately towards you. Well, in a way that he deems inappropriate, I should say." The older ninja says as he checks Sasuke's temperature.

"That's really none of your business, but yes. He's my friend. It's natural for him to get upset when he thinks I'm in danger. So what? Or have you forgotten what friendship means? I know you have been Orochimaru's loyal lapdog for awhile. It's probably been forever since you had anyone that gave a damn about you." Sasuke hisses at him.

Kabuto raises an eyebrow. Sasuke was trying to get a rise out of him. That could mean only one thing. He was hitting a nerve.

"My personal life is none of your concern, but Lord Orohcimaru cares a great deal about me. Still that's not the issue at hand. The real issue is Naruto's attachment towards you. Tell me how much do you know about the Tailed Beasts in general?" He asks as he takes Sasuke's pulse.

Sasuke pauses as he considers that question. Truthfully, not much. He had never seen a reason to look into it before. Apparently, Kabuto and Orochimaru had though. He doubted it was for benevolent reasons either.

"The basics." The last Uchiha glares at Kabuto.

"Are you aware that the demons are able to Mate and that their hosts adopt their patterns in this respect?" The silver haired ninja inquires.

"I really don't want to think about demons mating. Why should I care?" Sasuke demands.

Kabuto shakes his head. Honestly, he didn't know why Orochimaru wasted his time with this insolent brat. The only redeemable feature of him was his Sharingan. His personality left a lot to be desired.

One would think that the Sannin would want a more loyal vessel. Unfortunately, Kimimaro had died. He was a completely loyal follower. It was a pity really. Now Orochimaru was stuck with this brat.

"It should concern you because I believe it's possible that Naruto subconsciously views you as his Mate." He continues.

"There's just one problem with that theory. We are both men." Sasuke snaps at him.

Kabuto smirks. That was adorable. Sasuke truly thought that he didn't know that the last Uchiha preferred men. (That was a cruel irony really and would make Clan Restoration rather difficult for the whelp).

"Oh I think we both know that Naruto's gender would dissuade you from pursuing him. We both know that you prefer the company of men to women. Let's not pretend otherwise. It's really an insult to both of our intelligence. Don't' you think?" The medic asks.

Damn it. Kabuto knew that he was gay. That was not a good thing. God only knows what he'd tell Orochimaru and what strange ideas that would give the viper.

"I might prefer men, but Naruto doesn't. He views me as his friend. Naruto doesn't think of me as his Mate or whatever the hell you call it." The raven haired ninja insists.

Whatever game Kabuto was playing, Sasuke wasn't going to let the blonde get drawn into it. It was bad enough that Naruto was in the Sound. He wasn't going to let him get caught up in the tangled web that Kabuto and Orochimaru were weaving.

"I know you aren't that naïve. He chased after you relentlessly. That's not how you pursue a friend, but a lover. I know that you have no reason to trust me, but I am telling you this for your own good. Naruto might not mean to be, but he could become very dangerous. If it is indeed the case that he views you as his Mate, he is going to try to Claim you." The medic warns him.

Sasuke raises an eyebrow. He wasn't exactly sure what was involved in the "Claiming Process," but Kabuto apparently was. The silver haired ninja actually looked concerned for his safety?

That was bad. Kabuto didn't give a fuck about him. He only wanted to keep Sasuke alive for Orochimaru's sake. So if his life was in danger, he would care by default. The medic wasn't joking around.

"Let's pretend that I believe you. Let's pretend that Naruto likes men and that he wants me. What do you mean by Claiming?" Sasuke asks.

"Well it's rather simple in theory. He would bite you on the neck and inject you with his chakra. That creates a permanent mark. Though that Mark the bond is formed. Mates can communicate telepathically and feel what the other feels. They are also able to share chakra. So if one becomes badly weakened, the other can assist them." He begins.

Sasuke raises an eyebrow. That didn't sound so bad. The whole feeling what the other felt thing though, that could be problematic. The chakra sharing feature was interesting though. That could prove useful.

"Where is the part that is supposed to scare me?" Sasuke inquires.

"If one's Mate dies, it generally drives them insane. The surviving Mate often becomes suicidal. It is a powerful bond. Once broken, bad things happen. There is also the act of Claiming as well. If Naruto feels rejected, he could get very aggressive." The other man informs him.

The last Uchiha wasn't an idiot. He could fill in the blanks. Sasuke knew that he could make a very educated guess about what Kabuto meant by very aggressive.

"So what are you saying? Do you think that I should avoid him and hope he gives up?" Sasuke questions him.

"I wouldn't recommend that. Naruto would just pursue you in that case and it likely wouldn't end well. I'm saying that you should just accept the Claiming and use it to your benefit. You wish to kill Itachi, this could help you do that. Besides, think of all the knowledge that can be gained from this bonding." Kabuto replies.

Sasuke blinks. Kabuto was basically telling him to enter a demonic marriage. He never thought he would hear the other man giving relationship advice.

"Fuck you, Kabuto. We aren't your guinea pigs." He mutters in disgust.

* * *

Meanwhile Naruto was having his own argument. Only instead of facing off against a pushy medic, he was bickering with an ancient fox demon. Yeah, the blonde was just about at his wits' end.

**_"I honestly don't know why humans have to make everything so complicated. You know that I share a body with you. I feel what you feel. Which means that I will be agitated until you Claim your Mate. Are you dominant or submissive Mate? Are you waiting for him to Claim you? Is that the issue?"_** Kurama growls at Naruto.

**"What are you talking about? Dominant? Submissive? You aren't making any sense."** Naruot thunders back at him.

**_"Dominant Mates do the mounting. Submissive Mates are the ones who are mounted. Perhaps you are just a Submissive. That would explain your reluctance to Claim him. You are waiting for him to do the Claiming."_** The Nine Tails muses.

No way. Kurama did not just imply that he was the bottom in this relationship. Naruto was outraged.

That's when he mentally slaps himself. There was no relationship. Well at least not romantically. Damn that perverted fox was rubbing off on him.

**"There isn't going to be any Claiming! But if there was, I would be Dominate. Have you seen his hair? His skin?! Sasuke is totally the Submissive this relationship!"** Naruto exclaims.

**_"In this relationship? So you admit that you do want him. Well that's progress. You have to be the most stubborn human that I have ever met. That is certainly saying something because I knew your mother."_** Kurama growls.

**"Leave my mother out of this!"** The blonde growls.

He was going to go crazy. That was what was going to happen. He needed to find a way to convince Kurama that he was not lusting after his best friend!

That's when the fox decided to assault him with more erotic images. This time it was different though. Instead of random strangers engaged in the heat of passion, it was him and Sasuke.

**"KURAMA, KNOCK IT OFF! THAT'S NOT FUNNY!"** The ninja screams at him.

Kurama apparently had a very vivid imagination. Naruto wasn't sure if Sasuke actually looked like that naked or if Kurama had taken some artistic license. Either way, it was VERY detailed.

**_"I'll knock it off, when you stop fighting nature and just Claim him already. This is getting very annoying. Do you honestly think that you would give up your home for a friend? You do realize the odds of the Leaf ever accepting you back into the village are extremely low?"_** He demands.

Naruto didn't want to think about that. He knew that Sasuke and Kurama were probably right. The Leaf likely viewed him as a traitor now.

At best, they might think that Sasuke had kidnapped him. They might think that he had agreed to go with the last Uchiha, if he spared his teammates. That or that Sasuke had put him under a Genjutsu . Those were the most likely circumstances under which, he'd be able to go home.

None of those were acceptable though. They all involved selling Sasuke out. He couldn't do that. He wouldn't leave his friend behind.

Speaking of behind, Kurama was apparently amping up the lovely show he had decided to put on for Naruto. The fox apparently thought Sasuke had a very nice backside. Again, Naruto wasn't sure if Sasuke actually looked like that without his clothes on. It was possible the fox was just being a pervert as usual.

**"WILL YOU STOP THAT?!"** He practically snarls.

**_"I will for now. It looks like you have enough problems to deal with. I hear that cold showers are rather beneficial for human males with that issue. "_** Kurama says smugly.

Damn it. Great. He had just gotten turned on by naked images of his best friend. This was so not good.

Sasuke might like guys, but he would totally try to kick Naruto's ass if he found out. He winces as he imagines where his friend would try to Chidori him. Oh yeah. That wouldn't be fun at all.

That didn't solve his problem though. He couldn't really deny it anymore. He couldn't deny that he was attracted to his best friend. Now he just had to figure out what he was going to do about it.

"Why me?" He mutters to himself.

Why did he have to be feel so drawn to his best friend? Why couldn't he be normal? Why couldn't he just have a crush on a nice girl, instead of a sexy bastard? Life just wasn't fair sometimes!


	4. Hanging By a Thread

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sasuke and Naruto struggle to come to grips with their feelings for each other, but they aren't the only one's having romantic woes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Notation: The ending of this chapter was intended to set up a few crucial plot elements later on.

Later that night, Sasuke watches Naruto warily. The blonde seemed especially agitated about something. Since there was no one else in the room and the Jinchuuriki didn't seem upset at **_HIM,_** there was only one logical conclusion. It had to be the Nine Tails.

"Naruto, what is the furball saying to you?" Sasuke asks.

"What makes you think that Kurama is saying anything to me? Wait. You can't see inside my head, without activating your Sharingan! Right? Because that would be a complete invasion of privacy." The other ninja demands.

Sasuke raises an eyebrow. There was something inside Naruto's head that was apparently worth being nervous about. Something that he didn't want Sasuke to see.

"I can't see inside your head without using my Sharingan, but I know something is bugging you. I know it isn't me. So that leaves Kurama by default." The raven haired ninja reasons.

Damn. Sometimes it was really annoying to have a genius for a best friend. Sasuke was no Shikamaru, but he was very good at the whole process of elimination thing.

"Alright. You're right. It's Kurama. He won't stop harassing me." The blonde admits.

"Let me guess, he doesn't like being in the Sound?" Sasuke asks.

"Oh um no. It's not that. It's other stuff. He just won't shut up. It's nothing, really." The blonde lies.

Sasuke shakes his head. This was going to get annoying. The Uchiha decided to deal with this issue head on. He quickly transports himself inside Naruto's head again.

Idly, he wondered how a fox that was literally the size of a small mountain, could fit inside a person. Sasuke quickly dismisses that thought. It didn't matter how Kurama could defy the laws of physics. What mattered is that he was annoying his favorite blonde. (And quite frankly, that was Sasuke's job!)

"Go to sleep." Sasuke says as he flicks Kurama's forehead and "dispels" the fox.

It was a temporary solution. Still Sasuke figured Naruto would appreciate the break. He couldn't imagine having to share his body with someone else. The very thought was horrifying.

He quickly leaves Naruto's head. Apparently, the blonde must have some big, dark secret that he didn't want Sasuke to know. Most likely that he slept with a teddy bear or something equally childish.

"There. That should do it. He shouldn't bother you again for a few hours at least." Sasuke says with a shrug.

It was Naruto after all. Despite everything that he had been through, the blue eyed ninja still maintained a complete aura of innocence around him. Maybe that was part of the attraction really.

"Bastard, you know that's kinda creepy. It's creepy that you can just jump and out of my head like that." Naruto yells at him.

"Would you rather that I let the Nine Tails continue to drive you even more insane than you already are?" Sasuke asks dryly.

"Yes! Well no! I mean that's not the point! How would you like it, if I could go inside your head like that?" The blonde demands.

Sasuke shakes his head. That did it. He was going to have to clear up a few things for Naruto. The first of which was that the blonde, under no circumstances, ever wanted to get inside his head. The second was that Sasuke had really good hearing and Naruto's loud mouth was making his ears hurt.

He pushes Naruto against the wall. Sasuke then leans over Naruto and whispers into his ear. The last Uchiha was very gratified when he felt the blonde shiver against him. Whether it was from fear or something else, he didn't know. Sasuke was just happy to be able to get such a visible reaction out of his "friend."

"You should be grateful that you can't get inside my head. You wouldn't like it there. I don't like it there. That's how I know that you couldn't handle it. You are far too innocent. So do us both a favor. Quiet the fuck down. You're hurting my ears." Sasuke growls at him.

Naruto frowns. He knew that Sasuke was likely right. Who knew what really went on inside the other man's mind? It was probably a horror show. Still he didn't like the implication. His best friend was constantly suffering. Oh and he felt a little guilty about Sasuke's ears.

"You know it would probably help, if you actually talked about it a little bit. I'm sorry about your ears though. Still it is really messed up. You can just prance in and out of my head at will." The blonde half apologizes.

Sasuke shakes his head. **_Talk about it?!_** Naruto actually thought that talking about the Uchiha Massacre would help him feel better?! He was in love with Naruto, but sometimes he wondered if the blonde might be a little insane.

Hmm though in a way, that might not necessarily be a bad thing. That would just make them even more perfect for each other. Sasuke was self-aware enough to realize that his own sanity had been hanging by a thread for years now. Maybe Naruto was the same way. It couldn't be easy, having a giant fox demon living inside you.

"Naruto, what is there to talk about? It won't bring them back. It won't make me feel better. The only thing that is going to do that is Itachi's death. Besides, it's not as though I enjoy going inside your head and playing babysitter for the Nine Tails. I'm not going to make a habit of it." Sasuke assures him.

"It might make you feel better. It's not healthy to bottle it all up inside. You know that I'm not going to judge you. I'm really glad to hear that second part though." The blonde says.

"Naruto, you are a really good friend. That's why I don't want to put you through that. If you want to help me feel better, focus on helping me kill Itachi." Sasuke mutters as he tugs his shirt off and Naruto stares at him wide eyed.

He didn't know why. It wasn't that uncommon to see another man shirtless, particularly another ninja during training. It was just that he hadn't seen Sasuke shirtless since he was 13. There was a BIG difference between 13 and _**now**_ apparently.

_"Damn it. I shouldn't be looking at him that way. He's my best friend and he's a guy."_ Naruto thinks to himself. He really needed to stop this. Sasuke would kick his ass royally, if he suspected Naruto was staring.

Thankfully, Sasuke seemed oblivious to his "best friend's" inner turmoil. He kicks off his pants and hopes into the bed. It was a very hot summer night. Naruto couldn't blame the Uchiha for wanting to have as little clothing on as possible, without exposing well everything.

"Loser, you going to get into the bed or you standing guard all night? I'm telling you that nothing is going to happen. Orochimaru wants me to be his vessel too much to let any serious harm come to either of us." Sasuke tells him.

Thank goodness for small miracles. Sasuke didn't realize that the blonde was ogling. He just thought that Naruto was still wound up from being in the Sound.

"Well you never know. It's always a good idea to be careful." Naruto says as he quickly hops into the bed.

"I guess. The Nine Tails should leave you alone long enough to get some decent sleep. You are going to need it. Orochimaru wants to ramp up our training regime tomorrow. Apparently, he's eager to see what you and the Nine Tails can do." Sasuke explains.

"Great. Just great. Well, I guess you're right. Night, Sasuke." Naruot says and Sasuke nods.

He rolls onto his side, with his back facing towards Naruto. Naruto watches as his companion's breath evens out and curls up next to him. The blonde would never risk "cuddling up" to Sasuke when he was awake again. It was a different story when he was asleep though.

Sasuke looked so much more peaceful when he was asleep. It was like he wasn't a Criminal Ninja anymore. During the day, he was as tightly wound as a snake. At last when he was asleep, his facial expression relaxed.

He looked almost innocent. It reminded Naruto of that day. The day when he first realized that Sasuke wasn't a complete bastard. (Just mostly a bastard.)

_"Here. Eat." Sasuke muttered as he showed a bowl of food by Naruto's face._

_The blonde was tied to a post. Kakashi had told them not to eat before their training. He had anyway. So this was Naruto's punishment._

_"Sasuke, are you crazy?! Kakashi Sensei will send us back to the Academy if he finds out that you are feeding him! You're supposed to be smarter than this!" Their pink haired teammate shrieked._

_"If he's weak from hunger, he's going to be even more useless than he usually as. Sakura, we can't afford for that to happen because we need to get those bells. So just give him some of your lunch. Don't be annoying and argue with me about it. If you waste time and we get caught, I'm going to blame you for getting us sent back to the Academy!" The raven haired ninja informed her._

_As always, Sakura did exactly what Sasuke said. The blue eyed ninja had been torn between happiness that Sakura was going to feed him and jealousy at the time. Their female teammate would do anything for Sasuke and only noticed him long enough to yell at Naruto._

_It wasn't fair. He was the one that liked her. Sasuke hated Sakura. He hated everyone actually. Well at least what Naruto thought was the case, until the last Uchiha had ordered Sakura to feed him._

_"I"m gonna need some help." He said, having realized he couldn't eat without his hands.  
_

_"Sakura, just feed him. We don't have any time to waste." Sasuke muttered._

_The female ninja was less than thrilled by that order. Still she dutifully goes about feeding him. That was until Kakashi showed up._

_"What did I tell you about feeding him?!" Kakashi demanded._

_"The three of us are one. Teammates help each other." Sasuke told their silver haired instructor without any hesitation._

_It was really something. He had never seen anyone challenge a teacher like that. Sasuke might be mostly a bastard, but he was fearless._

_"The three of you are one?! Is that what you just said?!" The CopyCat Ninja shouted at the raven haired ninja._

_"Yeah! That's right!" Sakura replied, much to Naruto's surprise._

_"Excellent, you pass. That's exactly what I wanted to hear. Those that break the rule are scum. But it's also true, that those who won't help their friends, are much worse than that. Never forget that." Kakashi said and stunned all three of his Genin._

So that was how Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, and Kakashi had become Team Seven. Naruto would never forget that day. Mostly because he had been formerly accepted into a ninja team, but also because it was the first time that Sasuke was nice to him. (Well sorta).

* * *

Naruto wasn't sure when he fell asleep. All he knew is the next morning, he woke up feeling oddly cozy and their was a strange weight on his chest. It wasn't particularly heavy, but it was noticeable. He slowly opens his eyes and blinks when he realizes that weight was Sasuke's head.

"Sasuke?" He calls out softly.

It was no use. The Uchiha was still firmly asleep. He was currently using Naruto's chest as if it was his own personal pillow. Naruto almost does a double take. Whatever Sasuke was doing, looked and felt suspiciously like cuddling.

That's when an emergency alert went off. Shit! Sasuke jumped up so fast that Naruto almost got whiplash. Their lips somehow connected for the third time.

Naruto reacted on instinct. He moved his lips against Sasuke's. He had never actually tried to kiss someone before. The other two times had been accidents. So had this one actually, but that didn't matter. While it may have started as an accident, it didn't end that way.

"Mmm." Sasuke sighs softly in pleasure against Naruto's lips.

That was really all it took. Naruto lost it. What he lacked in experience and technique, the blonde more than happily made up with _enthusiasm and_ lots of it.

Sasuke's lips were surprisingly soft. Almost like rose petals really. He tasted like cinnamon candy. Hot, but not overpowering. That's when Naruto's hands started to explore by running along the curve of Sasuke's back. His skin felt like silk.

The blonde groans when he felt Sasuke's tongue seductively dance against his. That felt so fucking good. He wanted more.

The blue eyed ninja tries to return the favor. He wasn't really sure how good a job he was doing at that, until he heard Sasuke moan. That's when Naruto shoves Sasuke onto the bed and underneath him.

"Mine." He growls and Sasuke blinks.

Uh oh. Naruto's eyes were red. His teeth looked sharper than usual as well. Shit. He had just _"Gone Kyuubi."_ That's what Sasuke had decided to call it when the blonde was under the influence of the Nine Tails or had taken on some of his traits.

Sasuke didn't know whether to be terrified that Naruto was possibly not in control of himself or kinda turned on. He knew that last part was twisted, but it was flattering in a way. On some level, his "friend" definitely wanted him. Even if it was subconsciously, Naruto wanted Sasuke badly enough to lose control.

"Naruto?" He asks uncertainly.

The blonde was apparently well beyond the point of talking. Sasuke squirms when he felt Naruto begin kissing, licking, and sucking on neck. Oh fuck it. That felt good. Screw it! He deal with the repercussions later.

Apparently, later came much sooner than he thought. Sasuke wasn't proud of it, but he let out a moan when he felt Naruto's teeth bite into him. It didn't hurt exactly, but it was more force than he had been expecting.

That's when he knew he had to act fast. This was getting out of control. It was a damn good thing that Kabuto had warned him earlier about this. Otherwise, Sasuke wouldn't have realized what was going on.

"Chidori!" He yells as he radiates the lightning attack along his body.

It was just one of the many tricks that he had learned during his time at the Sound. He felt guilty about it, but he didn't know how else to make the blonde stop. Naruto wasn't in control of himself. Sasuke couldn't let his lovable idiot Mark him, when he didn't even understand what that meant.

"Owe! You bastard! That hurt!" Naruto growls at him.

Fortunately, it did the trick. The pain of the "mild voltage" shocked Naruto out of his trance like state. Of course, it was a mild voltage by Sasuke's standards. It was a low enough setting now to cause permanent harm, but it would sting like a bitch.

"You fucking bit me. So you started it. I don't want to hear it. Damn it. That was the warning. It means we have to evacuate now." Sasuke says as he quickly dresses and darts off.

Naruto growls in frustration. God damn it. Not again. Sasuke was running off again and just expected him to follow. It was really infuriating because once again, Sasuke was right. The blonde would follow him.

He couldn't believe he had just done that. The blonde had just made out with his best friend and probably given him a Hell of a hickey collection. Naruto had even bitten Sasuke.

He had bitten him hard enough that the Uchiha thought it was necessary to electrocute him! (Well Naruto knew that it was mild form of the attack, but still!) Worst of all, the blue eyed ninja had no idea what he was going to do about any of those facts.

"Sasuke, there you are. Come on. We have to hurry. Some Leaf ANBU were spotted nearby." Kabuto calls out to the raven haired ninja.

"Alright. I'm coming." Sasuke says as he races towards the silver haired medic.

For some reason, that really pissed Naruto off. He knew that he logically had no reason to be jealous. Kabuto was just trying to evacuate Sasuke, before the ANBU showed up. He couldn't help it though. Sasuke was running towards Kabuto and away from him.

"Naruto, once we are at the other site, we'll talk about what happened." The Uchiha tells him before he flitted off faster almost faster than Naruto could blink.

* * *

Unbeknownst to Sasuke, he wasn't the only Uchiha facing a romantic dilemma. Itachi was as well. The former Leaf Ninja sighs as he wipes some blood away from his face.

It was getting worse. The medication was only a temporary measure. It wouldn't cure him. Still he supposed it didn't really matter. He only needed to live long enough for Sasuke to kill him.

"Are you still playing the martyr?" He hears someone say.

Itachi didn't even need to turn around to know who was speaking to him. It was his "partner" Kisame. Originally, the blue skinned man had wanted to be the Uchiha's partner because he had thought Itachi had killed his family for fun.

"I don't view it as playing the martyr. I killed our Clan. At the very least, I can allow him to have his revenge. Then he can be the hero and a new chapter can be written in our family's history. Hopefully, a brighter one." He answers.

It was demented reason.. But apparently in Kisame's twisted mind, that was somehow _admirable._ Well perhaps admirable was stretching it. It was more like the other Akatsuki member had thought he recognized a kindred spirit. Surprisingly, after he learned the truth…Kisame didn't seem dissuaded from attempting to forge a bond with Itachi. A bond that the stoic Uchiha supposed was the closest thing to a friendship that the other man had had in a very, very long time.

"You're going to let him kill you. I'm not sure how he would react to the truth. But if you told him the truth, there is a chance he might not want to get revenge against you. You don't necessarily have to die. Thus, you are a playing the martyr. It doesn't suit you." Kisame says.

Itachi's lips twitch upwards in amusement. The other man might not come out and say it directly, but the implication was clear. _"I don't want you to die. So stop being stupid."_

"And you would know what suits me, how exactly?" Itachi asks.

"Well we've been partners for awhile now. I just know these things. I'm not gonna try to put it into fancy words. That's more your thing than mine. I've always been better at actions." He says with a shrug.

"You mean you prefer to be the hired thug and not have to overthink things." Itachi counters.

Kisame couldn't exactly deny that. He enjoyed killing. He might as well make a living out of doing something he enjoyed. It wasn't as if he had much else to do. Besides, he couldn't deny the view was nice.

"See? I told you that we were similar. You can read me like a book. That's why we make a good team." He replies.

It was disturbing really. Kisame had never known that a man could actually be beautiful before Itachi Uchiha. Oh he had always known that he swung both ways, but this was different.

It was just that he had previously considered attractive men to be handsome. Attractive women were beautiful. Itachi just happened to be both.

"I don't know if similar is the right word to use. Still it's not hard to know what goes on in that head of yours. Like your beloved sharks, you are a creature of instinct. One doesn't have to ponder too hard to realize what is on your mind." Itachi notes idly.

If anyone else had said that, Kisame probably would have viewed it as an insult. At least that is what he would have thought the intent was. But this was Itachi.

A different standard applied to him. He was really good at messing with people's heads. You couldn't tell if he was insulting you, complimenting you, or just making observations over half the time. He supposed that Itachi liked it that way.

"So let me get this straight. You want to live badly enough to prolong your life with medication." His partner begins.

"Yes, that is correct." The crimson eyed man answers him.

"But you want to live, only because you want your kid brother to kill you. Do you realize that makes no sense? You should real get your head examined, Itachi." The Akatsuki member chides him gently.

Itachi chuckles. When Kisame put it that way, it did sound crazy. Perhaps he was insane. Idly, he wonders if crazy people knew they were crazy? Or perhaps if you were sane enough to realize you were insane, that meant you were still sane? Hmm. That was an interesting thought to ponder later.

"Well if you aren't going to seek out a real doctor, you should at least rest. Come on. I found us an old cabin. We can make camp there for the night." The other Akatsuki member offers.

"That sounds suitable." Itachi says as he follows his teammate.

He did his best not to show how weak he was. It was important that Kisame thought he was in better shape than he actually was in reality. The blue skinned man knew he was sick and that it was a terminal case without real treatment, but he didn't know how fast Itachi's condition was rapidly deteriorating. He planned to keep it that way for as long as possible.

"Damn right, it sounds suitable. Now get your pretty ass inside." Kisame instructs him.

"One wonders why you are assessing the aesthetical nature of my backside so thoroughly." Itachi says as he shakes his head and enters the cabin.

It was far better than many of the other places they had stayed. It beat sleeping in the woods. Though Itachi did not mind doing so, he did prefer to have a roof over his head when given a choice.

"I have no idea how you can make checking out someone's ass sound so fancy. Does it ever get tiring? Thinking up ways to make everything sound so flowery?" The shark toothed man inquires.

"No, it doesn't. That's just my standard manner of speech. Does it bother you?" Itachi muses as he sits next to the fireplace and casts a minor fireball jutsu to light it up.

"Nah. It's funny really. You sure that you should be firing off Jutsus in your condition?" He asks.

Itachi smiles. In his own (admittedly twisted) way, Kisame did care about his well being. It was touching really. Oh he was still a murderous thug, but he wasn't an irredeemable murderous thug.

"I could perform that Jutsu in my sleep. It's second nature to me and requires almost no chakra form me to perform. Though, I'm certain that our comrades will find you fussing over me like a mother hen, most amusing." Itachi threatens him.

"You wouldn't dare and I do not fuss like a mother hen!" Kisame growls at him.

"Yes, I would dare. Yes, you do. It's alright. You are just being a good partner. Don't worry. I can still fight." Itachi murmurs as he lays down and quickly drifts off to sleep.

"Such a fucking martyr." Kisame mutters and throws a blanket over him.

Well at least he wouldn't be a cold martyr. Honestly, when Itachi first told him the truth. He had wondered if maybe the man had made it up. Kisame had quickly dismissed that possibility. No one was that creative.

Now, he just felt sad for his partner. He shouldn't be here. He wasn't like most of the Akatsuki. So yeah, in a weird way, it made him feel oddly protective of his beautiful partner.

"I know he's sick. The man was shivering and it's like ninety fucking degrees outside." He mutters.

He could pretend all he wanted. Kisame wasn't' stupid. He knew that Itachi was running out of time. Maybe it was time to have a talk with Itachi's kid brother.


	5. Cute

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Naruto and Sasuke are dealing with the Sound Evacuation and their feelings for each other, Kisame arrives on the scene.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter.
> 
> Dark Naruto: To clarify any confusion, Naruto's will be gradually turning darker as the story goes on. The next chapter will be critical to this element of the plot. ;)

Hours later, the Sound Villagers had successfully evacuated to yet another hideout. Naruto idly wonders how many of these places Orochimaru had scattered throughout the Five Nations. The blonde assumed the answer was **_A LOT._**

"Everyone, you know the routine. Set up the new base." Kabuto says as everyone scurries around to do exactly that.

Sasuke was helping some of other ninjas carry off bags of food into what Naruto assumed was going to be the main kitchen. The young ninja frowns as he watches the raven haired man assist them. He didn't know what exactly he was supposed to say to his best friend.

His best friend that he had just made out with. His best friend who he had probably given quite a few hickeys to. It was one thing for him to know that Sasuke liked men. It was something else altogether, for the youngest Uchiha to like **_HIM._**

"Naruto, use your clones." Sasuke says.

Yeah. That was the wrong thing to say. Now that Naruto knew that men COULD like other men and Sasuke was wired that way, his brain decided to take that the wrong way. Clearly, Kurama was rubbing off on him because he just imagined using his clones on Sasuke. His little fantasy involved using the clones in a far more erotic way than he usually did.

Sasuke raises an eyebrow. Naruto didn't answer him when he suggested the clones. Maybe, the blonde just hadn't heard him.

"LOSER, USE YOUR CLONES! I don't want to be at this all night!" He hisses at Naruto.

"You are such a bastard! Can't you ever ask for anything nicely?! Besides, why can't you do it?!" The boisterous ninja roars right back at him.

Naruto mentally slapped himself. That had come out wrong. He hadn't meant to bit Sasuke's head off. He just was feeling a little embarrassed at having almost been caught having some very inappropriate thoughts about the raven haired ninja.

"I did ask nicely. You didn't fucking hear me. I'd rather not have to make more clones." Sasuke says as he glances back at Orochimaru.

Oh. So THAT was why the Uchiha didn't want to make clones. He didn't want the snake freak to ogle his ass more. Naruto couldn't really blame him for that, but boy did it make him want to rip Orochimaru's throat out.

"Alright. I got it. Watch this, bastard!" Naruto says as he forms something like a hundred clones.

"Show off." Sasuke mutters and rolls his eyes in amusement as the clones get to work.

**_"My offer still stands on Orochimaru. He's already weak. The Sannin can't put off a body transfer much longer. He has a few months at most. The longer we wait to do it, the more likely Orochimaru will try to make Sasuke his vessel."_** Kurama says.

**"Oh believe me, it's really tempting. Um Kurama, you have any idea, what I should say to Sasuke? I mean about everything? You seem to know a lot about this stuff. I mean about men being with men."** Naruto replies awkwardly.

Kurama smirks. Finally, some progress. If the brat would just do what Dominant Mates were supposed to do, he could finally rest in peace. Sharing a body with a teenager who had their first serious case of lust, was not a fun experience.

**_"Well I'm glad that you have finally decided to see reason. For a Reynard like the Uchiha, words aren't really needed. The fact that you followed him here, already proves your devotion. I would just nudge him until he's in the right position and Claim your Mate. Humans make things far more complicated than they need to be."_** The Nine Tails answers.

Naruto shakes his head. He could sorta see the fox's point. Sasuke definitely wasn't the type to appreciate love poems and flowers, but he still didn't think that would end well. The raven haired ninja would probably try to Chidori him in the nuts, if he just bent Sasuke over or something.

That and Naruto wasn't really sure exactly what he would do in that situation. He got the basic mechanics of it from Kurama's "delightful" crash course in homosexuality, but still. He wanted their first time together to be special. Not awkward and potentially painful. (They could beat each other up during training, sex was different.)

"Don't be jealous of my awesomeness, Bastard." Naruto says cheekily.

Sasuke just shakes his head. He had no idea how the blonde did it. He still managed to hold onto his innocence even here. Well mostly. Every now and then, he would notice just a glimmer of something darker.

The way Naruto looked at Orochimaru did concern him. The blonde wanted to kill the Sannin. His former teammate wanted to kill him for **_FUN._** Sasuke knew the difference between doing what was necessary to survive and revenge. In Naruto's case, it was the latter.

"You should have Kabuto look at you. You are hallucinating, if you think I'm jealous of you." Sasuke informs him as he watches the many Narutos dart around to help set up their new hideout.

"Keep telling yourself that and maybe you'll end up actually believing it." Naruto retorts cheerfully.

Sasuke smiles and does his best to hide it. It was good that the blonde wasn't freaking out after everything. He had been worried that Naruto would be angry about the kiss or try to avoid him. It looked like that wasn't going to be the case though.

Frankly, that was better than he could have expected. The blonde hadn't even known that gay people existed until very recently. Thankfully, Nauto's tendency to charge headfirst into things, seemed to be working to his advantage in this case.

"Whatever, Loser." Sasuke says as he performs a headcount.

Sasuke had volunteered for this duty, not long after coming to the Sound. It gave him a chance to assess the other villagers. You never knew who might prove useful later on. It also gave him an excuse to avoid Orochimaru for a few hours. That was always a plus.

* * *

Meanwhile back in the Leaf, Tsunade was at her wits' end. She couldn't believe this. According an ANBU, they had found a Sound hideout. Sadly, by the time they got there, everyone had evacuated. Orochimaru must have been tipped off somehow.

"I'm sorry, My Lady. I wish that I had come bringing better news." The Wolf ANBU says.

"It's not your fault. Thank you for briefing me on the situation. Your orders are the same before. Capture Sasuke Uchiha and bring back Naruto Uzumaki. You have permission to use deadly force on Sasuke, if absolutely necessary. Only as a last resort though!" She says firmly.

The ninja nods. He leaves a few moments later when the busty blonde dismisses him. Thoughts of the missing Jinchuuriki host and Uchiha were weighing heavily on his mind. This was a recipe for disaster.

"Think. Think. Where would Orochimaru go, if he felt threatened?" Tsunade asks herself.

It was hard to believe that they had once been teammates. They had once fought side by side in the war. Now, they were enemies. Once upon a time though, they had been friends. She just had to remember that and try to use what she knew about him, to try to anticipate his next move.

_"It's a shame. Another great ninja killed before their time. He makes the 12th man we've lost this week and 7th woman so far." Jiraiya said with a heavy sigh after the funeral._

_Tsunade nodded. This war was going to be the death of all of them, if it wasn't stopped soon. Unfortunately, so much blood had been spilt that everyone would have considered it an insult to their fallen comrades to accept whatever peace treaty might be dreamed up._

_"It's not going to happen to me." Orochimaru vowed._

_"What's not going to happen to you?" The blonde woman asked in confusion._

_"I'm not going to die. I'm not going to slip away and have all my knowledge follow me to the grave." The dark haired ninja replied._

_Tsunade could only gape at him in confusion. What did he mean by that? Everyone died sooner or later. It was inevitable._

_"You mean you are going to take some students and teach them everything you know? That way your will and knowledge will live on, right?" Jiraiya asked._

_Ah that made more sense. Yes, a student. That would be one way to preserve your legacy. Maybe that's what their friend had meant._

_"No. I mean I'm never going to die. I'll find a way to escape death. Just watch me. I'm not going to end up like them." He insisted._

_"Orochimaru, I think you've had a bit too much to drink. Come on. Let's head back and get some sleep. We could all use it." Jiraiya said as they headed back home._

Tsunade had pushed that conversation to the back of her mind for years. She hadn't thought about it in a long time, but now it was coming back to haunt her. She should have realized that Orochimaru was serious. Now he had found a way cheat death, at least temporarily.

"Damn it!" She says and slams her fist on her desk, causing it to break in half.

She couldn't for the life of her think of where he might go. It had been decades since they had last spoken as friends. Even if he had confided in her some sort of clue back then, there was no way of telling where he had gone now.

"My Lady?" Shizune asks as she approaches her friend in concern.

"It's alright, Shizune. I'm just frustrated. We were so close to getting them back, but as always Orochimaru managed to slither off at the last minute." The Hokage growls.

Shizune nods sympathetically. They had to find them soon. Orochimaru would be performing his body swap soon. There was no telling what he would do, once he had a new body.

To make matters worse, Naruto was now presumably still with them. Naruto was the host to the Nine Tails. It was horrifying to imagine what that snake might do with the Jinchuuriki, if they didn't hurry.

"I understand. I'm worried too. But in the meantime, we need to keep our heads. Oh and you'll definitely need a new desk." Shizune muses.

"You're right about that. Oh well. It was getting old anyway." Tsunade says with a sigh.

* * *

Elsewhere, Kisame was heading off to find Sasuke. He knew that if he found Orochimaru, he'd find Itachi's kid brother. It was simple math.

The large blue skinned man had to admit that Orochimaru freaked even him out. He really had an Uchiha fetish. Actually, he appeared to have a fetish for talented young ninjas in general.

In particular, he had a fondness for the attractive ones. That was probably why he had been so obsessed with Itachi and now he was fixated on Sasuke. Itachi had seen straight through his attempts to ensnare him. So it looked like the snake was settling for the younger brother.

"Let's see, if I were a snake, where would I hide?" He muses to himself.

It took him days, but it finally dawned on Kisame. The Sannin would want to go somewhere well fortified, that travelers would be unlikely to stumble upon. He smirks as he heads to one of the abandoned fortresses from the previous war.

Sure enough, he saw a disturbing amount of activity going on. He estimated there were likely hundreds of Sound Ninjas milling about. That didn't bother Kisame though. He didn't scare easily.

"Sasuke, you said that we were going to talk." The Akatsuki member hears someone call out to the youngest Uchiha.

Bingo! He follows the sound of that voice and tries to stay well-hidden. Itachi was clearly better at stealth than he was, but that didn't mean that Kisame was completely hopeless at it. Besides, these two were clearly more interested in each other than their surroundings.

"I know I did." Sasuke frowns.

He really didn't know what to say. It wasn't really safe to pursue a relationship with anyone, especially not Naruto. The fact that he had the Nine Tails inside him, was bad enough. That alone would have made him a target. But if Itachi found out he was Sasuke's lover, it would be the end of him.

"Great. So um let's talk about this. I get it now. Well at least I think I'm starting to." The blonde says.

"And what do you think you get?" Sasuke raises an eyebrow in response.

He didn't want to be cruel and ruin their chances later on. Still he couldn't exactly embrace Naruto either. He would have to walk a rather delicate tightrope, Sasuke decided.

"Why you basically laughed when I said that I was your friend. You wanted to be more than just friends and I just didn't know it. It all makes sense now. That's why you ignored all the girls that liked you." Naruto says.

Kisame raises an eyebrow from his hiding position. Well he hadn't intended to spy on Itachi's kid brother's romantic moment. It was almost cute, how awkward they are.

He mentally scolds himself for even thinking of that word. S Class Criminals didn't use the word cute. They weren't even supposed to think it. Sheesh. What was wrong with him?

"Not exactly. I didn't like them because they were annoying. Back then, I was just as clueless as you were about there being other… _options."_ Sasuke shrugs.

Kisame at this point was trying his best not to laugh his ass off. If he did that, they'd find him. He bites his lower lip and somehow manages to keep from laughing.

**_"See brat? He didn't know right away either. Well I have to give the Uchiha some credit. At least he wasn't oblivious as long as you were."_** Kurama taunts him.

**"Shut up! I'm trying to hear what he has to say."** Naruto snaps at the Nine Tails.

"Oh so…when did you know that you liked men more?" The blonde asks.

Sasuke sighs. He really didn't want to have this conversation, especially not now. Not before he killed Itachi. Still there was no stopping it now. He might as well lay a few cards on the table. Naruto wouldn't let it go otherwise.

"There wasn't one specific moment exactly. I think coming here got me used to the idea overtime. Naruto, it doesn't matter right now though." Sasuke tells him.

"What do you mean that it doesn't matter?!" Naruto demands.

The Uchiha shakes his head. Great. Now he had to try to explain this in a way that Naruto wouldn't consider a rejection.

"Until Itachi is dead, anyone that I care about has a target on their back. That's why, I tried to shove you away. You were just wouldn't let me." He snaps at him.

The blonde blinks. Sasuke was trying to protect him. In his own demented way, the bastard was trying to protect him. That meant he really did care.

Naruto grins. Sasuke sees the grin and raises an eyebrow. He didn't get what was making the loser so happy this time. The raven haired ninja swore that he could live to be a hundred and never fully understand him.

"What are you so fucking happy about?! I just told you that we can't be together. My brother will try to kill you a-" Sasuke is cut off because Naruto pushes him back against the tree and kisses him.

Sasuke blinks. Whatever he had been expecting, that hadn't been it. He found himself kissing back at first. Well for a few moments anyway, then he lightly pushes on Naruto's chest.

"Did you hear anything that I just said?" The young ninja demands.

"You said that you didn't want to be with me because you were worried that Itachi would hurt me. That means you really do care." The blue eyed youth replies.

"…" Sasuke is speechless.

That was accurate, but not exactly what the youngest Uchiha was trying to convey. He was trying to get it through Naruto's thick head, that until Itachi was dead…it was too dangerous to be with him. Apparently, somehow the blonde had gotten the opposite message.

"I don't really know how all this works exactly. That's okay though. I mean you can show me and Kurama is really annoying, but he knows a lot about this sort of thing." Naruto says cheerfully.

Sasuke blinks. Kurama knew a lot about this sort of thing? What did that even mean? Nevermind. It didn't matter.

"Naruto, you didn't even know that two men could be together before you came here. I want you, but I don't want you to rush into it. Maybe after Itachi is dead. That will give you some time to think about everything. That and it will be a lot safer." The obsidian eyed man suggests.

The blonde frowns. Sasuke wasn't saying that he didn't want to be with him. He was kinda saying the opposite really. Sasuke was Sasuke though. He just had to be stubborn.

"Sasuke, you know for a genius, you are really stupid sometimes." The Jinchuuriki says.

Sasuke felt himself twitch. What did that idiot just say to him? He wasn't the stupid one. Naruto was the one that always charged in without a plan. Like now for instance, the blonde just wasn't listening.

"Excuse me?!" The Uchiha growls.

"I'm already a target. I have Kurama inside me. The Akatsuki wants the Tailed Beasts. They are going to come looking for me anyway. Plus, I'm here with you. Itachi is going to realize that I'm important to you. I doubt he's going to kill me more than once, because we makeout." The blonde reasons.

Sasuke blinks. Well those were actually some really good points. Now that he put it that way, he was almost tempted to reconsider. Almost.

Rationality prevailed for now. He couldn't do it. He couldn't put the blonde in even more danger than he already had.

"Naruto, you don't get it. You should go back to the Leaf. I'll find you, after I kill Itachi. You're right. This is just putting a target on your back. Well an even bigger target actually. You'll be safer there." The raven haired ninja reasons.

"You're crazy. You finally admit that you like me and you think I'm just going to leave you alone, here?! Sasuke, you can't be serious. There is no way that I'm going to leave you alone with some freaky snake that wants your body. Which you are so NOT giving him, by the way." The blonde protests.

Sasuke mentally groans. Damn it. That was sweet and all, but Naruto needed to get his ass out of here. The sooner the better.

"I'm telling you to go because I care about you. I don't want you to get your stupid ass killed. Now go. I don't know why I didn't realize it before. I'm putting you in danger." The older ninja says.

**_"I'm telling you, if you just give him a nudge and assert your dominance, things will fall into place much easier. He's a very stubborn Submissive, but he is a Submissive. I'm almost sure of it."_** Kurama suggests.

**"NOT NOW!"** Naruto snaps at the fox demon.

Sasuke watches Naruto warily. His teeth were lengthening and his chakra was swirling. Not again. He really had to nip this in the bud.

"Naruto, you need to calm the fuck down. You're going Kyuubi. You know that is dangerous. You have no idea what sort of effect that chakra has on your body long-term." Sasuke warns him.

"Well maybe if you wouldn't be so stubborn, I wouldn't have to. God damn it, Sasuke!" He growls.

* * *

Kisame shakes his head. Perhaps Sasuke would be more willing to listen to him, if he stepped in. He looked rather uncomfortable at the whole situation. He almost felt sorry for the kid.

"As entertaining as this lovers' spat is, do you mind if I cut in?" Kisame asks.

"An Akatsuki!" Sasuke hisses and Naruto immediately turns around to face Kisame.

This allowed Sasuke the opportunity to slip away from the tree. His hand immediately moves to his sword. If he could capture this guy, he could make him talk. Maybe the blue skinned man would be able to tell him where Itachi was.

"Cool it. I'm just here to talk. If I wanted to fight, you'd already be dead. You were far more interested in each other, than your surroundings. That's a damn good way to get yourselves killed, by the way. A ninja should always be aware of their environment. Don't they teach you brats anything at the Academy?" Kisame inquires in a mocking voice.

That did it. Naruto lunges at Kisame. Kisame blinks. That brat's eyes were now red. So he had learned how to wield some of the Nine Tail's power. Perhaps he should have taken some back up. It was two against one and one of them had the chakra of a Tailed Beast at his disposal.

"Naruto, don't kill him. We need him alive. He can tell us where Itachi is." Sasuke calls out.

That's when the Kisame that the blonde tackled, turned into water. A water clone. Damn it. Sasuke looks around anxiously. He had to find out where the real Kisame was before he would strike.

"I told you brats, that I just wanted to talk. I thought you might like to know the full story. You see Sasuke, Itachi is a murderer and a liar. But he's not the bad guy. Well at least not by choice." Kisame muses from his position on top of the nearby tree.

"What are you talking about?! He butchered our entire Clan!" Sasuke snarls up at him.

"Yes, he did kill them. If you would stop getting your panties in a bunch, I could tell you why. Orochimaru might be a viper, but the real snakes are in the Leaf Village." The Akatsuki member says.

Naruto eyes Sasuke warily. It looked like his "friend" wanted to at least hear Kisame out. Was this all a trick or was the Criminal Ninja being sincere? There was no way of telling at the moment and that made him very dangerous.

"Why should I believe you?" Sasuke asks.

"That's a good question. Ask yourself what I have to gain from lying to you? If I wanted to kill you or your lover, I just passed up an easier chance to do it. You were both sitting ducks and it only takes one well placed hit to end even the most powerful ninja." He replies.

Sasuke frowns. That was a good point. If Kisame really wanted them dead, it would have made more sense to strike when their guard was down.

"I'm listening. This had better be good. Otherwise, you are going to be sushi." Sasuke warns him.


	6. Why That Is

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everything changes after Kisame tells Sasuke and Naruto the truth about the Uchiha Massacre.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews. I hope you all enjoy this chapter.
> 
> Chapter Notations: Itachi and Sasuke are sneaky in this one. Whether or not you view them as being somewhat OOC here, is entirely up to you. As you will see next chapter, nothing is ever easy for our couples.

"Sushi? Oh that's cute, brat. Well I hate to burst your bubbles, but the Leaf's hands aren't as clean as they want everyone to believe." Kisame begins.

Sasuke eyes Kisame warily. If this was a trick, it was an odd one. Still he was an Akatsuki member. The Uchiha didn't trust him. He gestures for the strange man to continue though.

"What do you mean by that?! That's rich coming from a guy that works for a psychotic criminal organization!" Naruto snaps at him.

"You're so judgmental and so loud, but I meant exactly what I said. It's a very long story. We should go somewhere to talk where we won't be overheard." He says.

Naruto glares daggers at the blue skinned ninja. He was the judgmental one? He had damn good reason to be judgmental. The Akatsuki had **_KILLED_** Gaara. (Granted, the red head had been revived, but still it was the principle of the thing)!

"If you're planning to attack us, you are still outnumbered two to one." Sasuke reminds him as he teleports them all off in a swirl of flames.

Naruto looks around warily. Sasuke had taken them to one of the caves nearby. He and Sasuke were standing at the only entrance. Kisame was a few feet behind him.

That meant they would have a chance at running, if need be. It also meant that if Kisame tried to bolt, they had a slight advantage. Sasuke was good at using the environment to his advantage.

"Oh yeah. You're definitely Itachi's brother. The two of you are both so overdramatic. As I was saying, the Leaf isn't as innocent as it pretends to be. The Uchihas helped to found the Leaf Village. Overtime though, their influence began to worry the other leaders of the Leaf. Thus they were given their own District and put in charge of the Police Force." Kisame continues.

Sasuke raises an eyebrow. The fishface wasn't telling him anything he didn't already know. He really hoped that he was going to get to his point soon.

"Yes, I'm aware. And?" Sasuke demands.

"It was intended to minimize their influence and make them feel important. Giving them an important role in the village was supposed to be an olive branch. It was supposed to keep the peace and shit. It didn't work out that way. The Uchihas monitored the internal affairs of the village. It's easy to demonize people who you have little contact with and when you do, it's usually because you are in trouble. This lead to a lot of bitterness and fear on both sides." The Akatsuki member says.

Naruto blinks. He didn't like where this was going. He knew that people feared what they didn't understand. Fear easily turned to hatred. Hatred turned to violence.

"That makes sense. But other than stupidity, I fail to see where the Leaf Village is at fault." The youngest Uchiha says.

"Eventually, the Uchihas got tired of the isolation and discrimination. They planned a coup. It was their goal to overthrow the Leaf and install your father as the next Hokage." The Akatsuki explains.

Sasuke's expression turned from skeptical to stunned. A coup? His family had been planning to attack the village. He had no idea. He bit his lower lip. The raven haired ninja had an idea where this was going and he didn't like it.

"Obviously, that didn't work out. Itachi butchered them long before that happened." He growls.

"Itachi knew what happened. Even if the Uchihas won, that would leave the Leaf weak. Other villages would take advantage of that. It could have easily triggered the next Great Ninja War. He was forced to choose between his family and the rest of the ninja world. Well with one small exception. You." Kisame finishes.

Sasuke blinks. He wanted to scream at the Akatsuki member that it wasn't true. Somehow though, his gut wouldn't allow him to do so.

In a sickening way, it made more sense than what Itachi had told him. What would cause a loving brother to transform into a vicious killer overnight? Preventing another Great Ninja War might have done it.

"Sasuke, you don't actually believe this guy, do you?!" Naruto yells at him.

"I don't know. I have no reason to trust you and every reason not to." Sasuke tells Kisame and his eyes narrow.

Kisame smirks when he saw that the kid's gaze was now ruby red. Itachi's Sharingan was crimson red, but he knew that it well in either shade. Yeah. This kid was definitely his partner's baby brother alright.

"Except one. I could have killed you both, but I didn't. Ask yourself why that is?" The Criminal Ninja states.

The youngest Uchiha frowns. That was a good point. Still he didn't see what benefit Kisame got out of this. He doubted very much that Akatsuki members really cared that much for their partner's safety, unless doing so was a way to protect their own neck.

"You must be scared of someone. Somehow I doubt that you are motivated purely by concern for my brother. Who is after you?" Sasuke asks.

"That's not a bad guess, but you're wrong. It doesn't matter though. If you want to kill him, you are going to know the truth. Itachi will kill me, if he finds out that I told you what really happened." Kisame says with a grin.

Naruto glances at Sasuke. He wasn't sure if his friend was buying this or not. He didn't know what to see. His instinct was to deny it. The Leaf wouldn't order a genocide. But if the Uchihas had really been planning a coup, it would have been self-defense. Maybe they would have done it, if that was really the case.

"If Itachi is going to kill you, why did you come here?" Sasuke demands.

There had to be an ulterior motive. It just wasn't possible that someone like Kisame would do something like this out of the goodness of his heart. Sasuke had probed Orochimaru for information about the Akatsuki.

It was important to learn about the type of people his brother was working with. There was a slim chance they might try help Itachi. It was good to be prepared. Kisame was the very definition of a hired thug who enjoyed killing.

"Let's just say I have my reasons. I told you the truth. What you do with it, is up to you. I just want you to know that man you are planning to kill, loved you more than the rest of the village combined. If you doubt my word, you should go ask Danzo." Kisame says as he teleports off in a swirl of water.

"Sasuke?" Naruto asks uncertainly.

Naruto didn't know what he would do, if it turned out to be true. He could never forgive the Leaf for taking away Sasuke's family and turning an innocent man into a cold blooded killer because they didn't have the guts to do their own dirty work. If this was true, it meant that everything he had ever thought about his home was a lie.

Sasuke stares at the spot where Kisame had just disappeared from for a few minutes. The silence unnerved the blonde. That's when Sasuke struck the cave wall hard with his fist, leaving an indent in it.

"I'm going to the Leaf. If I have to tear Danzo apart, I'll do it. I'm getting my answers one way or another." The youngest Uchiha practically snarls.

Worse than that though, he didn't know what Sasuke would do. If Sasuke wanted revenge against the Leaf, could he really stand in his way? No. He decided, he wouldn't be able to do it. That meant that he would be condoning the slaughter of a lot of innocent people though. Could he really do that?

**_"He's bleeding. Don't let him go. If he does go, go with him. Your Mate is not thinking clearly. He's going to get himself killed, if he charges in like that."_** Kurama warns Naruto.

**"Yeah. I kinda figured that out!"** Naruto snaps at the Nine Tails and rushes over to Sasuke.

"Sasuke, you banged up your hand pretty good. Let me see it." The blue eyed ninja half orders and half pleads.

"Naruto, it's nothing. Besides, you aren't a medic. It's not like you can fix it anyway." Sasuke reasons.

The blonde frowns. That was true, but at least he could bandage it. He just had to find a way to keep Sasuke from getting himself killed.

"Sasuke, you can't just go off halfcocked. You'll get yourself killed. Every Leaf Ninja has orders to capture you. Do you really think you can just sneak back into the Leaf to ask Danzo if the Leaf ordered Itachi to kill your family?" Naruto tries to reason with him.

"I know. You'd prefer me fully cocked." Sasuke says with a smirk as he shoves Naruto against the wall and kisses him.

Naruto blinks. He wasn't sure how he expected the raven haired ninja to respond to his argument, but kissing him hadn't been it. Nevermind. He wasn't going to argue.

He wraps his arms around Sasuke's neck and returns the kiss. He felt himself moan when Sasuke's tongue began to plunder his mouth. Yeah, it was much better when Sasuke was kissing him on purpose.

"Well yeah, but that's besides the point!" Naruto says after Sasuke breaks the kiss.

"I know that it won't be easy. You're right. The Leaf is going to have everyone looking for us. One person is a lot more stealthy than two. I need you to stay here. I'm sorry, Naruto. I'll be back soon." His former teammate promises him.

"Sorry for what?" The blonde asks in confusion.

Sasuke sighs. He hated to do it, but he knew Naruto. Naruto was the most stubborn person that he had ever met. If he was conscious, Naruto would follow him. So he had to do this.

"For this." Sasuke says as he strikes a nerve in Naruto's neck that renders him unconscious and takes off.

* * *

It didn't take him long to get to the Leaf. He had never run so fast in his life. The youngest Uchiha knew Naruto. It would take more than that cheap trick to keep him down for long and Naruto knew where he was going. He'd follow. He always did.

He castes a Transformation Jutsu before he heads into the Leaf. Sasuke assumed the form of Neji Hyuga. He decided that would be a good choice. Danzo wouldn't view a Hyuga as threatening, but they were a very influential Clan. He would give an audience to Neji.

"Lord Danzo, Neji Hyuga wishes to speak with you. He says it's urgent." A ROOT member says to the elderly ninja a few minutes later.

"Send him in and leave us." Danzo instructs the other ninja.

He smirks when he does exactly as instructed. ROOT members were his ultimate trump card. They were absolutely loyal to him. There were times when he felt almost like a proud father. Though he quickly dismisses this almost sentimental notion as he watches Neji enter.

His eyes narrow almost immediately. There was something off about "Neji." His gate was different. Neji had a graceful, regal, and submissive style of walking. The typical baring of a Branch Member, who was confident of their abilities. This man was the complete opposite.

"Who are you? I know that's a Transformation Jutsu." Danzo growls.

Sasuke smirks. He dispels the jutsu. He was good. Briefly, the youngest Uchiha considers asking how Danzo knew that he wasn't Neji. He pushes that thought to the side. He didn't care.

"Sasuke Uchiha. You certainly have a lot of nerve to just waltz into the Leaf Village, when you have been missing for three years. I assume you have a good reason." Danzo states.

"I do. I want to know the truth about Itachi and the Uchiha Massacre. I had an interesting conversation with a member of the Akatsuki." Sasuke says.

Danzo immediately reached for his kunais and began to hurl them at Sasuke. Sasuke smirks. That answered that question. He swiftly dodges and unsheathes his sword.

"I'll take that as confirmation that you know exactly what I speak of. Good. That will save us some time. You can tell me what you know now and save yourself a lot of pain or we can do this the hard way." Sasuke seethes.

* * *

Meanwhile Naruto groans as he wakes up. He couldn't believe Sasuke had just knocked him out. Well he could, but he couldn't.

**_"When you find him, I suggest a sound thrashing to his backside. He's a Submissive Mate, who is acting like a Dominant. He's overstepping his grounds. If he was a female, I would ensure he was carrying a litter. That usually settles them down."_** He muses.

**"You're disturbing sometimes. Let's get going! He can't have gotten far yet. Hopefully, we aren't too late."** Naruto says as he flits off towards the Leaf.

* * *

Elsewhere, Kisame arrives back at the Cabin that he was currently sharing with Itachi. His eyes widen when he saw Itachi had fallen off the bed and was gasping for breath. Itachi was choking on his own blood! Immediately, Kisame rushes over to help him.

"Itachi!" He calls out and then hisses in pain when a kunai goes flying at him and pins him to the wall.

The kunai acted as a large nail. It had been driven straight through and was holding him against the wall. He could yank himself free, but it would be painful and would cause more damage than necessary. Of course, freeing himself the other way was going to be a much slower process and Itachi knew this.

"There are four possibilities. You have grown soft, stupid, are in love with me, or a combination of the first three options would explain why you fell for that trick. Let's start by testing the stupid assessment." Itachi says as he dispels the clone and the real Itachi approaches Kisame.

"You were gone for awhile. I saw that look and remembered our earlier conversation. Tell me, were you foolish enough to tell my brother the truth about the circumstances behind the massacre? Do not insult my intelligence by lying to me either. That won't end well for you." Itachi informs him in that damningly calm voice of his.

Somehow, Itachi was able to convey that he was furious without changing his voice at all. It was a gift really, Kisame muses. Oh yeah, this was bad. There was no way that he could beat Itachi in a fight, if he wasn't aiming to kill. That was something he didn't want to do.

"Alright. I admit it. I told him. I think the kid deserves to tell the truth and you were dealt some pretty shitty cards. Neither of you deserve this and fuck that village. They don't deserve to have their happily ever after, while you die and Sasuke lives a lie." Kisame hisses at him.

"I'm impressed. Was that rhyme intentional?" Itachi asks with just a trace of amusement.

"No, it wasn't. Though I suppose it sounded better that way, now that I think about it." Kisame answers.

That confirmed it. Kisame was in love with him. Only love could cause people to behave this foolishly. The Uchiha didn't know how to handle this knowledge. He decides to deal with that another day, right now he had other matters to attend to.

"Did he believe you?" Itachi whispers into his ear, allowing his lips to brush against Kisame in a seductive caress.

He smirks when he felt a slight shiver from his partner. Yes, it was definitely love. That or at the very least lust. Either way, he could use this discovery to his advantage in the future.

"I'm not sure. I don't think he even knows if he believes me." Kisame replies.

"Well this leaves us at an impasse. I should kill you for going behind my back and spilling my secrets to Sasuke. Still you were trying to help in your own way and you were honest when I confronted you about it." Itachi states as he tilts his head to the side as if considering what would be the best course of action to take.

"Oh come on, Itachi. Admit it. Part of you is relieved he knows the truth. Did you really want to go to your death, with Sasuke thinking that you didn't give a damn about him?" The Akatsuki member demands.

Itachi couldn't deny that. He believed in being honest with himself. Still it was not Kisame's choice to make.

"If I wanted Sasuke to know the truth, I would have told him. I may be dying, Kisame. But I'm not dead yet. You should remember that the next time you go behind my back. No matter how noble your intentions may have been, I can't overlook this." He states as he pulls the kunai out of Kisame's hand.

The giant man makes a grunt of pain. He thought that maybe Itachi had gotten his pound of flesh by stabbing with him a kunai once. That was a foolish assumption. Nothing was ever that simple when you were dealing with Itachi Uchiha.

"Don't do it again or you will be joining me in death." Itachi states as he slashes Kisame's throat with a kunai.

The cut bleed profusely, but it quickly stopped bleeding. Idly, Kisame muses that in another life, Itachi would have made a good medic. He knew exactly where to cut to draw a lot of blood, yet not mortally wound someone.

"I love you too." Kisame states as he quickly bandages his bleeding neck.

"I don't recall saying that I loved you." Itachi says with a raised eyebrow.

"You didn't have to. You never miss. If you didn't love me, I would already be dead." He states and Itachi just smirks as he heads towards the door.

Kisame frowns. He couldn't be serious. He wasn't actually going out there to confront Sasuke like this, was he?!

"I'm assuming that you told Sasuke to ask Danzo for confirmation of what you told him. Therefore, it is imperative that I speak with him before my foolish, little brother does." Itachi says as he races off.

Kisame sighs and darts off after the other man. Itachi might have a death wish, but that didn't mean that he was going to make it easy for him. Whether Itachi was purposely going "slow" so Kisame could keep up or his illness was slowing him down, he wasn't certain. He just knew that he wasn't going to let him out of his sight.

* * *

Back with Sasuke and Danzo, the youngest Uchiha eyes the elderly man warily. He knew enough about Danzo to know this wasn't going to be easy, if he put up a fight. There was a reason this man had been amongst the Hokage candidates more than once. He wasn't an easy opponent.

"There are some secrets that are better left buried. If you leave now, I won't tell anyone you were here." Danzo offers.

Sasuke's lips curl back distaste. The Leaf Ninja didn't know him at all, if he really thought that he was going to leave before he got some answers. Oh well. It looked like they were going to do this the hard way.

"I'm not leaving until I get some answers." He states.

"Very well. Perhaps we should move this battle to somewhere less public. I doubt the building will stay standing and you don't want the entire Leaf Village pursuing you at once, do you?" He asks slyly.

"I know just the place." Sasuke says as he grabs the man and teleports them to the Forest of Death.

Danzo smirks. He did approve of the youngest Uchiha's rather morbid sense of humor. The Forest of Death? How very fitting since that was what they would likely be discussing today and it was likely one of them wouldn't make it to see the next Sunrise.

"How fitting." He muses.

"Yes, I thought so. Tell me what you know." Sasuke hisses.

"You aren't ready for the truth. You couldn't handle it. You couldn't possibly understand. You aren't your brother. You still have the mind of an impulsive child." Danzo states.

Sasuke smirks. If Danzo wanted to be difficult, he didn't have a problem with a fight. He had a lot of aggression to work out. He didn't know if what Kisame said was true, but judging by the elder man's reactions, it probably was.

"Remember, I offered you the chance to do this the easy way." Sasuke says as he charges at him.

"I could say the same of you." Danzo says as he unsheathes his sword and lunges at the other man.

It was at that point that Sasuke's eyes widen. He could feel Naruto's chakra racing towards them. Damn it.

"He can't possibly be awake yet, can he?" He mutters to himself as he parries his sword with Danzo's.

"I think you should worry more about yourself than whoever he is." Danzo informs him as their swords clash.

* * *

When Naruto arrives his eyes widen at what he saw. Sasuke and Danzo were fighting. Their swords were moving so swiftly that they were more a blur than anything else.

He never thought that he would actually be grateful towards Orochimaru. But at that moment, he was. It was a damn good thing that the Sannin had taught Sasuke how to use a blade so well.

**_"If you attack now, you are just as likely to hit Sasuke."_** Kurama tells him.

**"You don't think I know that?! What are we supposed to do?! We can't just stand here and do nothing!"** The blonde insists.

Danzo frowns. This brat was good. Unfortunately, he also had a friend. The Jinchuuriki at that. He had to end this quickly. He was just at a loss for how to do that.

If he was going to have a chance, he was going to need to use his Sharingans. Unfortunately, he couldn't do that in the middle of a sword fight. Hmm. He was going to need to create an opening.

"It would be a shame, if you were to throw your life away so casually." Danzo hisses.

"I was going to say the same to you." Sasuke snarls as he slams his sword against Danzo's.

* * *

At the same time, Itachi and Kisame were rushing towards the Leaf. Itachi frowns. He could only hope that Sasuke hadn't found Danzo yet. That or if he had, that Danzo hadn't told him the truth.

He didn't know what he would do, if that was the case. Sasuke might not believe Kisame. The elderly Leaf Ninja was another matter. Love or hate him, Danzo was a credible source when it came to these things.

"Itachi, the truth was going to come out sooner or later." Kisame says.

"Perhaps, but you didn't have to be the one to tell him!" He snaps at him.

The elder Uchiha brother didn't know how to feel about Kisame at the moment. If you had asked him yesterday, his opinion of the shark like man was largely positive. Though it had been a different story when they first met. He couldn't help but smirk as he recalled that fateful day.

_"I'm Kisame. Formerly of the Hidden Mist. You are Itachi Uchiha, formerly of the Hidden Leaf Village. We're going to be good friends. I can tell because we both killed our comrades. That makes us kindred!" He began._

_Itachi promptly ignored him. He wasn't interested in making friends with his partner. He certainly wasn't interested in making friends with a hired thug._

_"Why do hired thugs with nothing of importance to say, speak the most?" Itachi asked.  
_

_"You're pretty snippy. Did you know that some kinds of sharks are cannibals inside the womb? They eat their own siblings before they're even born." The other ninja continued, as if Itachi's comment didn't upset him in the slightest._

_"People aren't sharks, but they can be scum. Anyone who would attack their own comrades isn't worthy of being called a ninja ." Itachi informed his new partner._

_"I guess that's true. Well, you better not drop your guard around me then." He said with a smirk._

_"Same goes for you, Kisame. If I killed my family without batting an eyelash, imagine how little I would care if you were to drop dead." Itachi said, never once turning around to face Kisame._

_It was because of this, that the other man didn't see his Sharingan was activated. Perhaps Kisame knew when it happened though. Itachi was positive that he heard a quiet snort of amusement. And that was how they became partners._

"Someone had to. You weren't going to." Kisame says as they made their final sprint towards the Leaf Village.

Itachi sighs. He could feel Sasuike's chakra nearby. He would always recognize his brother, no matter what happened. The good news was that they had found him. The bad news was that Itachi had no idea what he was going to say to his foolish little brother.


	7. Tomorrow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a confrontation with Danzo and Itachi, Sasuke and Naruto grow even closer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews. I hope you enjoy this chapter.
> 
> Chapter Notation: If you notice any inaccuracies when it comes to how a character uses their abilities in a fight, that was intentional. I tried to keep it as accurate as possible, but I did put my own spin on things for the sake of the plot.
> 
> Battle Notation: That was only the first confrontation between the brothers, Naruto, and Danzo. If you think they got off too easy, think of it as more of a preview than anything else. I feel that battle scenes are my weakest point, but I hope you all enjoy it anyway.

Sasuke's eyes narrow as he clashes with Danzo. The man might have been in his twilight years, but he was almost as spry as ever. What he lacked in vigor was more than compensated with in experience.

"The dead are better left buried. There was no need to drudge up the past like this. I suppose you will have to join them. It's a pity. Itachi went to such great lengths to have your life spared." Danzo muses.

He needed a distraction. If he could unbind his arm, Danzo was certain that he could achieve victory. Unfortunately, Sasuke was a skilled enough swordsman that doing so, would likely cost him his life before he could activate his Sharingans.

He smirks when he saw Naruto. The blonde would give him just the opportunity that he required. He might not be able to free his arm, but he was able to send a kunai at the Jinchuuriki quickly enough that he was still able to block Sasuke's thrust.

**"Kurama! What do we do? If I attack, I'll probably hit Sasuke!"** Naruto screams inside his head.

**_"First of all, you need to dodge that kunai that is coming towards you."_** The Nine Tails warns the blue eyed ninja.

Thankfully, the fox demon had given Naruto just enough warning to avoid being stabbed with the weapon. Still it had the desired effect. Sasuke turned his head towards Naruto and Danzo was able to yank the bandages off of his arm.

"Ha! It's time to end this. I do so tire of playing with children." The elderly ninja says.

That's when Naruto and Sasuke's eyes widen. There were ten Sharingans on Danzo's discolored arm. That meant that at least five, but perhaps ten Uchihas had their eyes stolen. Whether it was before they died or afterwards, neither of them knew for sure. Sasuke knew one thing though. He had never been so furious in all of his life.

"HOW DARE YOU?! YOU GRAVE ROBBER! Did you even wait until their bodies were cold in the ground before you stole their eyes?!" Sasuke snarls at Danzo and lunges at him in a blind rage.

"How I acquired them, is not as important as the fact that I did." Danzo replies as Sasuke's sword goes straight through Danzo as if he was a ghost.

The youngest Uchiha's eyes widen. How had he done that?! Why wasn't Danzo solid?

"Your family was nice enough to give me a gift. While I have this jutsu activated, my body is merely a physical illusion. You can not land a hit on me. The same is not true for me though." Danzo informs him with a smirk.

"You bastard!" Sasuke snarls.

Danzo glances at Naruto. Thanks to Shisui's eye he was able to influence the thoughts of others. He could neutralize the blonde and focus on Sasuke.

_Suddenly, Naruto looked down and saw that Danzo had stabbed Sasuke through the heart. The youngest Uchiha was choking on his own blood and his eyes slowly closed._

_"Sasuke!" Naruto screams in his illusion and holds the corpse of his best friend and almost lover tightly in grief._

_It was too late though. No matter what the blonde did. He couldn't bring Sasuke back. It wasn't like with Haku. This time, he wouldn't wake up._

"YOU ARE GOING TO PAY FOR THAT!" Naruto snarls at the illusion version of Danzo.

Sasuke and the real Danzo stared in horror. The demonic chakra was swirling around Naruto violently now. His eyes were red as blood and his teeth were now more like fangs. The whisker markings on his cheeks were now jagged and three chakra tails had already emerged, with a fourth well on its way.

"What did you do to him?!" Sasuke demands to Danzo.

"I made him see your death. I thought that he would be paralyzed. I didn't think that he would begin transforming." Danzo says.

Damn. He would have to win this quickly. One minute had already passed. That meant he was down to nine Sharingans. He had nine minutes of near invincibility. That was it.

"Is there no end to your treachery?!" The youngest Uchiha screams at him and hurls a Chidori through his heart.

Sasuke growls when he sees that the Chidori went straight through him. Danzo returned in a location a few feet away, with an attack of his own. A kunai that he had channeled his wind affinity into. He hurls it at Sasuke with near deadly accuracy.

The raven haired ninja only managed to dodge it out of pure instinct. Had he been thinking about his next move, he would already be dead. This was bad.

That's when Sasuke noticed that a second Sharingan had closed. Danzo was down to eight. That didn't make any sense though. Why would he be closing Sharingans? They certainly hadn't been damaged.

"I was about to say the same of you. Curse the day that I was ever foolish enough to allow Itachi to spare your life." The elder ninja hisses.

Naruto was still trapped in whatever illusion that Danzo had created for him. He rushes at a tree. Sasuke was almost positive that the blonde thought it was Danzo. It was utterly obliterated by the Nine Tail's wicked chakra and the force of Naruto's punches.

"That's going to be you shortly." Sasuke warns Danzo.

* * *

Meanwhile as Itachi and Kisame got closer, Itachi's eyes widen. He could sense the Nine Tail's chakra and lots of it. There was no mistaking it now. Sasuke was definitely engaged in combat and Naruto must be assisting him.

"It looks like we are about to walk into one Hell of a party." Kisame muses.

"That's the Nine Tail's chakra. Naruto is beginning to transform!" Itachi calls out in horror as they make their way to the Forest of Death and hide themselves behind the trees to assess the battle situation.

Sasuke frowns as Naruto began attacking everything in sight. He wasn't entirely certain he could dispel whatever gruesome fate that Danzo had crafted for him. He had to try though.

"Did you really think that you were capable of dispelling my jutsu? Don't make me laugh. Itachi might very well be able to, but you have never been a Genjutsu User by nature. No, your approach is far flashier." Danzo snarls at Sasuke as he charges at him.

Sasuke's eyes narrow. He knew that despite the other ninja's advanced age, he was still highly capable of Taijutsu. If he landed a hit, it would hurt him. It might not necessarily render him unable to continue, but he still wasn't going to take any unnecessary damage.

"Do you ever shut up?!" Sasuke growls as he charges at Danzo with a fireball jutsu he formed at the last second.

Danzo was hit by the flames. It would have killed him, but instead the flames go right through him. Seconds later, he materializes several yards away. Sauke noticed another Sharingan had closed.

He couldn't hit him as long as this strange jutsu was in effect. By he was beginning to notice a pattern. The Sharingans were gradually closing and they seemed to be doing so at regular intervals. He just had to figure out the pattern. The youngest Uchiha had a hunch that once all the Sharingans closed, his invincibility trick would no longer be effective.

"He clearly has Naruto under some sort of jutsu. I'll have to dispel it or he will level the Leaf." Itachi whispers to Kisame.

"Can you do that?" The blue skinned man inquires and Itachi nods.

He would just have to get close enough to Naruto to do it. Right now, he was the biggest threat. There was a reason why the Nine Tails had once almost destroyed the Leaf. It was a powerfully destructive force.

"Cover me." Itachi says as he flits off towards Naruto.

Itachi barely manages to dodge the blonde's punch. He wasn't sure what the blonde was seeing or if he was even aware of his presence. It didn't matter. He had to act.

Kisame thrusts out his sword and uses it as a shield to cover Itachi when the blonde lunges at his partner again. Thank goodness that it was a massive sword. It was also strong enough to hold, just long enough to Itachi to dispel the jutsu.

"What the? Sasuke?" Naruto asks in confusion as he looks down and notices Sasuke's body was no longer there.

"Danzo, hit you with a jutsu. Sasuke isn't dead. He's currently engaging my foolish, little brother in battle." Itachi explains.

The blonde's eyes widen when he sees Itachi and Kisame were there. How did that happen? When did that happen? How long had he been under the influence of the jutsu?

"I have to help him!" The blue eyed ninja says.

"If you rush in, you are likely to distract Sasuke. It will probably get him killed. You got to be smart about these sorts of things." Kisame says.

The blonde's eyes narrow. How dare Kisame lecture him on the best way to protect his Mate?! Who the fuck did that shark think he was?!

* * *

Danzo's eyes narrow when he sees Kisame and Itachi by Naruto. It seemed that somehow Itachi had found them. It looked like he had freed the blonde from his illusion. This wouldn't do at all. Fleeing was his only option.

"BAKU!" Danzo cries out as he summons the giant taper like creature.

He was a good Summon because he was able to suck things and people into his giant mouth. Baku also complimented his wind affinity well. Perhaps, he would serve as a good distraction for him to escape.

He was confident in his battle skills, but he was not going to face this group voluntarily. Sasuke alone would have been a challenging opponent. But now it looked like Itachi and Kisame might be assisting him and Naruto. That simply wouldn't do at all.

"Aoda!" Sasuke cries out and his snake summon appears.

"Sasuke! Stand back! Baku will suck you in otherwise!" Itachi cries out.

Sasuke blinks. It couldn't be! Was that Itachi's voice? He looks behind himself and his eyes widen. It was. His eyes narrow. Now he'd get the truth.

He turns his back and goes to charge at his brother. Baku took that opportunity and tries to suck the youngest Uchiha in. Itachi conjures a massive fireball and hurls it at the beast. Baku's method of attack made him vulnerable to fire.

Danzo takes this opportunity to try to run. Naruto forms an army of clones and was after him in a flash. One way or another they were going to get answers out of him.

"Baku! Suck in the clones." Danzo growls as he fights against the clones.

Baku tries to do so, but he couldn't Itachi's flames were still in the way. Aoda sees an opening and charges right at the massive summon. Sasuke smirks. He knew that snake would come in handy.

"I want to know the truth. For once, I want you to tell me the truth. Did you butcher our family willingly?" Sasuke snarls as he throws himself onto Itachi.

The youngest Uchiha quickly conducts a Lion's Barrage of kicks and punches. He was going to beat the truth out of his brother. Danzo had all but confirmed it. Still he wanted to hear it from Itachi.

That's when Itachi turns into a log. The raven haired ninja growls in frustration. God damn it! A Substitution Jutsu!

"You didn't really think it would be that easy, did you?" He hears the real Itachi whisper into his ear.

Sasuke freezes. If his brother wanted to, he could end him right now. But that wouldn't make any sense. Itachi had save him. Why?

"I was hoping it wouldn't be. I want you to suffer for what you did. Tell me what really happened! Were you testing your limits or did the Leaf order our family to be slaughtered?!" He demands.

"Another time, brother. It seems the sounds of our battle have alerted the Leaf to our presence." Itachi says as he disappears in a swirl of flames, with Kisame following him.

"Get back here, you bastard!" Naruto growls at Danzo.

"Naruto! Let's go. We got what we came here for. We don't need to fight the entire Leaf today!" Sasuke yells at him.

* * *

Hmm it was two against one now. Not the best odds, but at least he wasn't going up against four of them. Danzo decides to take his chances. He could stall long enough for his comrades to arrive.

Danzo hurls another wind attack. One that was designed to cut like swords. It slashes into Sasuke and his snowy white shirt soon turns red with blood.

"Sasuke!" Naruto yells.

"It's alright. Get out of here!" The raven haired Uchiha yells at him.

Predictably, he doesn't listen. Naruto rushes right back to his friend and wraps his arms around him protectively. Sasuke quickly gets back up on his feet and glares at Danzo.

They needed to finish this quickly. At most, they had a few minutes before the other Leaf Ninjas would show up. He wasn't sure what to feel about Itachi and the Leaf in general at the moment. But he didn't feel like facing an entire village in combat.

"Naruto, I need you to make as many clones as you possibly can. Hit him hard and repeatedly." Sasuke mutters as he charges up another Chidori and races towards Danzo.

Naruto blinks. He does as asked though. Danzo was lightning fast, especially for a man his age. Still he was greatly outnumbered. The full frontal assault of all the Naruto clones and Sasuke's more elemental attacks were clearly wearing on him.

Sasuke smirks as he saw one eye after another close. He knew that Danzo would keep coming back, as long as he had a Sharingan available to him. After each "death" he would reform somewhere else. The youngest Uchiha and Jinchuuriki wouldn't let up though.

"It's time for both of you brats to die!" Dazno snarls out as he goes in for the kill.

* * *

Unbeknownst to the elderly ninja, Sasuke had cast a minor Genjutsu. Danzo was right about one thing. Genjutsu wasn't Sasuke's primary style. Still he could make a convincing enough go at it, to make it look like Danzo had a Sharingan open, when he didn't. The Leaf Villager had lost count when it came to how many times he had "died."

"This is for using my family's corpses as your own private arsenal." Sasuke mutters in disgust as he slams a Chidori into his chest and Naruto slams a Rasengan into his back.

Danzo expected to rematerialize. He still had one minute and one Sharingan left. He soon starts choking on his own blood though. Wait. Something was wrong! Why had their hits landed?!

"I might not be a Genjutsu expert, but I was able to cast a minor one. I made you think you had an extra Sharingan. That you could take one more hit. You didn't. Now go to Hell!" Sasuke hisses at him as he drives his Chidori further into his chest and Naruto does likewise with his Rasengan.

There was something very satisfying about the shocked look on Danzo's face. Sure, Naruto had thought about killing Orochimaru and even enjoyed doing so. But this was the first time, that he had killed someone and enjoyed it.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew that was wrong. Killing to survive was one thing. Having fun while doing it, was another.

**_"He injured your Mate. He would have killed you, if given a chance. Not to mention, it appears that he played a role in the Uchiha Massacre. You have nothing to feel guilty about, brat."_** Kurama tells him.

"Naruto, we have to go. People overheard our battle." Sasuke says, grabs Naruto, and teleports them off.

The Leaf Ninjas were just coming into view. The only thing they saw for sure was a swirl of flames and Danzo's corpse. For a brief moment, most thought that they had seen a giant snake as one. But that disappeared in a poof of smoke before they could be sure.

* * *

Sasuke wasn't able to teleport them that far. Still they were at least out of sight of the other ninjas. Well at least for now.

"Sasuke, you're hurt!" Naruto says.

"So are you. You clearly have a broken hand and probably a broken foot. I see the way that you are walking, Naruto. That's not good. I can't summon Aoda again. He's too big. They'd notice him at this distance. We are going to have to walk back on foot and with your leg the way it is, that's not good." Sasuke states.

Naruto frowns. What Sasuke said was true. They didn't have a choice though. The blonde couldn't believe that he was actually willingly going to the Sound. That the Sound Village was now "safe" and the Leaf was chasing them. The entire world had been turned upside down on its head.

"How bad are your cuts?" He asks.

Sasuke takes off his bloody shirt and examined himself. They were bleeding badly, but he didn't think they were bad enough to be life threatening. He quickly ties his shirt around himself in a makeshift bandage of sorts. The compression might slow the bleeding.

"Bad enough to be a concern, but not bad enough to slow us down much." Sasuke answers.

Naruto nods. The two of them head back to the Sound. They make it back by nightfall. The blonde didn't like it, but he takes Sasuke to see Kabuto.

"What happened to the both of you?" The medic asks as he gives Sasuke a couple blood replenishing pills and cleans Sasuke's wounds.

"We ran into Itachi. It was a stalemate." The younger Uchiha says.

He glances at Naruto. It was clear that the raven haired ninja didn't want to tell Kabuto anymore than that. The blonde mentally found himself agreeing. He had never liked Kabuto and he definitely wasn't going to let him know that they had both just fought Danzo and that two Akatsuki members had come to their aid.

"Unfortunate. Well you just need to dedicate yourself to your training. Soon you'll be able to defeat him. That should do it. Naruto, do you have any injuries?" Kabuto asks.

"A broken hand. My foot might be broken too." The blue eyed ninja answers.

The bespectacled man nods. He has a look at Naruto and braces him. The former Leaf Ninja didn't bother to inform the silver haired medic that he had accelerated healing rates thanks to Kabuto. He'd be better soon. Still Sasuke was probably right. It was better not to tell Four Eyes everything.

"Of course. Thank you, Kabuto. I'd appreciate it, if you didn't mention this to Orochimaru. But I know that you probably will and I don't care too much." Sasuke states as he walks off with Naruto back to their room.

* * *

"Danzo put me in some jutsu. I saw you die. I lost it." Naruto says once they were alone.

Sasuke sighs. He nods. Danzo had told him that much. He hated putting Naruto through that, but it was just part of being a ninja. People died in battle. It happened. He knew Naruto though. The blonde was obviously pretty shaken up about it.

"I know. I'm sorry he did that to you, but I'll be fine. Physically anyway." He mutters that last part.

"Are you going to be okay? I mean…do we know that Itachi was ordered to do it now? Itachi didn't actually say that he was ordered to do it, did he? Danzo could be lying." The blonde says desperately.

The youngest Uchiha shakes his head. While he didn't trust Danzo, he knew that he was telling the truth. The fact that Itachi had saved him and left so quickly, just cemented it in his mind. Itachi had been ordered to commit genocide against their clan by the very same village that they had helped to found.

"I don't think Danzo was lying. If he was, Itachi wouldn't have saved me. I suppose you could make the argument that he saved me so he could go up against another Uchiha again, but I don't buy it. Itachi was forced to do it." Sasuke says in a voice barely above a whisper.

"Do you still want to kill Itachi? If you don't, we don't have to stay here. We could just leave." Naruto says and caresses Sasuke's cheek.

Sasuke frowns. He honestly didn't know. If Itachi had been ordered to do it and did it to prevent a war, that was different than killing their entire family just because he could. Still he had gone through with it. He had even murdered their own parents. Could he really forgive his brother for that?

"I don't know. Part of me still thinks he deserves to be punished. The other part of me wants to punish the Leaf instead." The raven haired ninja admits.

He watches Naruto closely for his reaction to that last part. The blonde loved the Leaf. He wanted to become Hokage. The blue eyed ninja might love him, but did he really love Sasuke enough to look the other way while he destroyed the Leaf?

"Are you asking for my permission to attack the Leaf?" Naruto asks.

"No. Not right now anyway. I don't know what to think anymore." Sasuke growls.

Naruto grimaces. If what Kisame said was true, the Leaf had been defending themselves from a potential Civil War. Still it should never have gotten to that point. The Uchihas probably never would have plotted a coup, if they had been treated like anyone else. Their blood was on the Leaf's hand.

He loved the Leaf Village. At least he thought he had. Naruto had really wanted to be Hokage. It had been his dream for as long as he could remember. Now, he wasn't so sure.

"Maybe we should just stop thinking for tonight. Let's worry about everything tomorrow. Neither of us should really go anywhere with these injuries anyway." Naruto suggests.

Sasuke nods. That was true. These injuries weren't life threatening, but in battle seconds counted. A broken hand or foot, could be lethal in a real fight. His injuries could easily be reopened. It wouldn't end well. Maybe sleep would really be the best option.

"You're right." He says after a minute and gets on the bed.

Did he really want to be the leader of a village that would order the butchering of an entire Clan? Did he want to lead people who either knowingly condoned discrimination and assassination against a Clan or were oblivious to it? Was that really the type of village he wanted to be part of?

Naruto gets on the bed with Sasuke. The raven haired ninja seemed unsure of what he wanted to do. If the youngest Uchiha really wanted to attack the village, if it came down to a choice between Sasuke and the Leaf, what would he do?

"You're thinking way too hard. You aren't very good at that. Like you said, we can worry about it in the morning." Sasuke informs Naruto and reaches over, kissing him.

Naruto kisses back. The second that Sasuke's lips touched his, he knew the answer. He would. Maybe if it came down to it, he could convince the Uchiha to at least spare the children or something. But he would.

It was just like before. On some level, he knew that he should be furious with Sasuke. Sasuke always assumed that Naruto would follow. He had a good reason to do so. The blonde always did and in this instance, it would likely be no different.

"I love you, Bastard." He says.

"I love you too, Loser. Now get some sleep. We'll figure out what to do with my brother later." He says and closes his eyes.

He had spent too much time in the Sound. Naruto knew that it was wrong to think that way. He couldn't just condone the slaughter of potentially thousands of people because Sasuke was angry. On some level, it disturbed him. But deep down, he knew the truth. There was almost nothing that he wouldn't do for the other man and that scared him.

Sasuke rests his head on Naruto's chest. The blonde was a very good pillow. Sasuke was only seconds away from leaning over the side of the bed and vomiting. He couldn't believe it.

Most of his life had been based on a lie. Itachi hadn't willingly killed their family. He had been ordered to do it. Still that didn't make things all better. This wasn't a fairytale. The fact that he hadn't done it willingly, wasn't going to bring back there family.

"Good night." He murmurs.

Sasuke suddenly found himself very grateful that Naruto was there. He was his anchor to whatever was left of his sanity. No matter what else happened with the rest of the world, he knew that Naruto would always be there. He smiles slightly at the thought and slowly drifts off to sleep. Tomorrow. He'd deal with everything tomorrow.


	8. Natural Impulse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Uchiha Brothers' love lives are growing increasingly more complicated.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews. I hope you all enjoy this chapter.
> 
> Chapter Notation: I struggled with whether I wanted Naruto to be aggressive and passionate or romantic and considerate in this chapter. I ended up going with the second for now. His wild side will be making an appearance soon though.

**_"My natural impulse is to slaughter that entire village for what they did to our Mate. Rationally, I realize that isn't a good idea. We would be able to destroy them, but the rest of the Ninja World would never overlook such a thing. You'd both be hunted for the rest of your lives."_** Kurama says.

Naruto sighs as he watches Sasuke sleep. He runs his fingers through his dark spiky locks. This was one of the privileges that coming to the Sound Village had granted him. Back during their Genin days, Sasuke would never have let the blonde do something like this.

**"You're right. We would be hunted down for the rest of our lives, but the Leaf is already looking for us anyway."** The young ninja says.

**_"He wants kits someday. While you and Sasuke can probably successfully avoid getting caught for years, a child can not. Do you know how difficult it would be to evade ANBUS while you are traveling with a baby?"_** The Nine Tails continues.

Naruto frowns. That was a good point. Sasuke did want kids. It wouldn't be smart to have the entire ninja world against them, if Sasuke really wanted to be a daddy someday.

The blonde tries to picture Sasuke as a father. The image of Sasuke rocking a baby was a rather surreal one. Still the raven haired ninja was very determined to restore his Clan, so it was just a matter of time before an army of mini Uchihas was born.

**"Good point."** He mutters with a sigh as he looks down at the sleeping Uchiha who was currently curled up into him in a rather endearing fashion.

He knew that destroying the entire Leaf was wrong. There were a lot of innocent people there. There was Kakashi Sensei, Sakura, the other Rookies, Iruka, the ramen shop family, and a lot of people who had no idea what the truth behind the Uchiha Massacre was. Sasuke had every right to be furious, but could he really just let him go on a murderous rampage?

**"Maybe if I just let him kill the Council or something? That way only those directly responsible would be punished."** Naruto suggests.

**_"That might be an agreeable compromise. I'm not certain if your Mate is in an agreeable mood though. He's confused. That means he's likely going to get angry. He's just like you when he gets angry. Sasuke allows his anger to rule him."_** Kurama replies.

Naruto really wanted to argue that point. He wanted to protest that, but he knew he couldn't. That was exactly what they did. Sasuke had attacked Danzo without any sort of plan and he had just followed Sasuke to a criminal village. Kyuubi was right.

**"We'll have to see. He looks so peaceful right now. I kinda wish that we could just forget everything else and just be like this."** The blonde admits.

**_"That's only natural. If you were to Claim him, that would probably help. It would be enjoyable and give him something else to focus on. He needs time to come to grips with the fact that his village and his brother have been lying to him for years. That won't be easy for him to accept."_** Kurama continues.

The blonde pauses as he considers Kurama's words. Maybe he should. Sasuke said he loved him. He didn't think that Sasuke would lie about that (or anything really). If nothing else, the youngest Uchiha was an honest person. Sometimes he was brutally honest, actually.

**"Would it hurt him?"** He asks cautiously.

**_"The actual Marking is considered to be extremely erotic. As for the coupling, well it depends. It's likely that he's just as inexperienced as you. A certain degree of consideration is necessary."_** Kurama says as he flashes Naruto several _helpful_ images.

Naruto quickly tries to banish those images. Sometimes Kurama could be worse than Pervy Sage. Sheesh.

**"I don't think that Sasuke would let me do any of that."** The blonde says.

**_"He's a rather stubborn Mate. You just have to assert your dominance. He already said that he loves you. So he does want to be Claimed."_** The Nine Tails continues on as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

**"Maybe. We'll see when he wakes up. He's still hurt and he needs his sleep. Night, Kurama."** Naruto says and he soon drifts off.

Kurama shakes his head as he watches his host fall asleep. Honestly, humans made things far more complicated than they had to be. If he was in Naruto's position, Sasuke would have been Marked already. Oh well at least they were making progress.

* * *

In the morning, Naruto wakes up before Sasuke and notices that he was just beginning to stir. That meant he was going to wake up soon. Deciding that Kurama had a point, he deems that now was a good time to "attack."

Sasuke wakes up to the feeling of gentle kisses being lavished upon his neck and a hand sliding underneath his shirt. Even his sleepy mind, recognized who was responsible for this reverent display. Naruto.

"Never seen you say good morning like that before." Sasuke muses as his eyes slowly flutter open and he sighs in contentment.

The youngest Uchiha wasn't sure what to make of it exactly. Thus far, he had initiated almost everything when it came to anything vaguely resembling intimacy (outside of fighting).

"Well if you like it, I can do it more often." Naruto says as he gently bites down on Sasuke's collarbone briefly before going back to kissing and sucking on his neck.

"Mmm I like it." Sasuke admits and he feels his eyes slowly bleed red as he arches against Naruto and lets out a quiet moan.

God, that felt good. He could get used to this. So did the caresses to his chest and stomach. Though he was glad that Naruto was being uncharacteristically gentle.

Danzo's wind blades had cut into him deep and he was still wearing his bandages. Sasuke was a fast healer, but he wasn't Naruto fast. He didn't have a fox demon inside him to speed up the process. (Apparently, there were a few advantages of being a Jinchuuriki.)

"Good. You know, I never noticed much before but you have a really pretty neck." Naruto muses as he leaves a trail of kisses and love bites along the pale column of Sasuke's throat.

Sasuke rolls his eyes playfully at that compliment. Only Naruto would find a neck "pretty." He was mildly miffed at the feminine adjective, but it felt too good to really protest the label.

"Only you, Naruto. Only you." He sighs in pleasure and places a kiss against Naruto's cheek.

"Yeah. That's actually what I wanted to talk to you about." The blonde says as his hands continue exploring the muscular planes of Sasuke's chest and slowly glide down lower.

At the moment, the former Leaf Ninja was delighting in his latest discovery. Sasuke's abs. He liked the way that they felt underneath his fingertips. From the way Sasuke was leaning into him,, it looked like he enjoyed being touched, as much as Naruto liked doing the touching.

"You aren't making any sense. What are you talking about?" Sasuke asks in confusion.

"When you said you loved me, did you mean it?" Naruto asks as he plays with the waistband of the raven haired ninja's pants.

Oh. That's what Naruto meant. _"Only you, Naruto."_ The blonde wanted to be other's first and onlys.

"Of course, I meant it. I wouldn't say it, if I didn't." Sasuke tells him.

He did mean it. Though he wasn't really sure if now was the best time for them to do THAT. He was still recovering from his injuries and Sasuke had to figure out what he was going to do about Itachi.

"Good. I feel the same way. There's something that I wanted to talk to you about. Demons have this thing called Mating…" Naruto begins to explain as he slowly drags Sasuke's pants of fof him.

"I know. Kabuto told me about it. Wait are you…proposing?" Sasuke asks and blinks.

Well maybe proposing wasn't the proper term. Mating from what Sasuke understood was an even bigger commitment than a marriage. You could communicate with your Mate telepathically. You could feel what they felt. Mates could even help each other if they ran low on chakra. That was a very deep bond and could only be severed through death.

"Yeah. I guess you could say that." Naruto says as he looks up at Sasuke.

He knew that this was a gamble. Still the youngest Uchiha had said that he loved him. Maybe he would say yes. The blonde bites his lower lip as he waits for an answer.

"Naruto, that's really romantic, but are you sure? This isn't something that can be undone. There is no going back once you Mark me. Our MINDS are going to be linked. I don't want to subject you to…everything that goes on inside my head." Sasuke says.

He tries to suppress a shudder. What if Naruto saw what he saw almost every night in his dreams? The results of the Massacre and everything that he had endured while in the Sound, could be on full display. He didn't want to put Naruto through that kind of pain.

"Sasuke, I know that you're head isn't always the most…happy place. I'm okay with that. I love you. I love all of you and that includes your dark side." Naruto assures him.

"Would it just be feelings that we can pick up on or everything? Would you see my memories and hear my thoughts?" The raven haired ninja dares himself to ask.

**_"It's just thoughts. Some privacy is necessary, even between Mates. Every Mated pair would be driven to madness, if the bond was as thorough as he is concerned about."_** Kurama says.

"Kurama says that it's just feelings. We don't see memories or complete thoughts." The blonde says.

Sasuke nods. He pauses as he considers it. That might be okay. Still if Naruto could feel what he was feeling, that would mean there would be almost no secrets from him.

He really didn't want to put Naruto through pain unnecessarily. It was a very romantic idea though. If he could share himself so completely with anyone, it would be with his blonde.

"Well that's good." Sasuke says as he kisses Naruto.

The raven haired ninja had suddenly become rather addicted to kissing. It was funny in a way. He had been mortified during the **_Kissing Incidents._** Now he repeatedly initiated the contact because it felt good.

Sasuke had grown used to associating the sensation of touch with pain. It seemed that he was either training or in the middle of battle when anyone touched him. So it was a "new" experience to actually enjoy it.

"Yeah." Naruto whispers after returning the kiss.

The blonde didn't know what to make of Sasuke's response. He wasn't angry. Sasuke wasn't running away, but he wasn't exactly saying yes. If anything, the other man seemed unsure of what to say or do.

"Naruto, I meant what I said and I'd love to be your Mate. I just think it's a good idea to wait. We don't know what is going to happen with Itachi. That and if we were to be **_together_** , it would probably reopen my injuries. Bleeding all over you is not really very romantic." Sasuke says.

Naruto frowns. All of that was true, but he felt like it was a flimsy excuse. Sasuke was clearly a bit skittish about Mating.

"Well yeah. I guess that would kinda ruin the mood. Maybe after you are better?" He asks.

"Maybe, but there's no reason that we can't continue where you left off. Kissing and necking isn't going to reopen my injuries." Sasuke says with a smirk.

"That's true." Naruto replies with a grin and kisses him.

He knew that Sasuke had just stalled for time. Still he wasn't going to argue with more kisses. At least he knew Sasuke wanted to be with him. Naruto knew on some level that Sasuke just wasn't the type of person who felt comfortable sharing **_everything._** A Mating would involve doing exactly that.

**_"He's just Mating Shy. It happens sometimes. You know he wants you. If you would just assert your dominance and make your Claim, he'd come around."_** Kurama growls in irritation.

**"He just needs to think about it is all."** Naruto snaps at Kurama defensively.

It did hurt that Sauske wasn't just going to say yes. That was okay though. Eventually, he would. It was just a matter of time really. Sasuke wanted him to stay with him. He had asked him to come to the Sound. He loved him. That was enough for now.

* * *

Meanwhile Itachi sighs once they were back at their temporary cabin. He smacks his forehead in frustration. He couldn't believe that had happened.

Sasuke knew the truth now. That or he at least knew enough to realize that the Uchiha Massacre had been ordered. That ruined everything.

"Itachi, don't beat yourself up over it. I'm sure that the brats got away. They always do." Kisame offers.

"This is all your fault. You never should have confronted them like that. I can't believe that you would go behind my back and just spill my secrets like that. How dare you meddle in things that are not your concern?!" Itachi seethes at him.

Uchihas always had to be so overdramatic. Kisame wasn't going to apologize for potentially saving Itachi's life. He would just have to deal with it.

"Not my concern?! Itachi, you are my partner. You were going to let him kill you. I wasn't going to let that happen." Kisasme snaps at him.

"That wasn't your decision to make." The elder Uchiha brother growls at him.

Kisame knew things were bad. He had never heard Itachi growl before. That was new. This was going to get out of hand and fast. He was going to have to take action.

Immediately he pounced and pulled out a blindfold. He holds Itachi down on the bed and places the strip of fabric across his eyes as he chakra cuffs Itachi's hands and feet.

"That's better. Now we can talk without you doing any of your freaky eye tricks." The blue skinned man says and was clearly quite pleased with him.

"Kisame, when I get out of this, you are sushi." Itachi mutters.

The other Akatsuki member couldn't help but laugh. That was exactly what Sasuke had said. In some ways, they really were almost identical. Yet at the same time, they couldn't be more different.

"Funny, that's exactly what the brat said. Is there some sort of handbook of threats that Leaf Villagers have or is it just an Uchiha thing?" He asks.

"I'm glad that at least Sasuke's insults are up to par, but you had no right to interfere like that." He mutters in annoyance.

It infuriated Itachi. He was in no condition to fight the other Akatsuki member. Even if he was completely healthy, Kisame was not an easy opponent to defeat.

Itachi knew that he was growing weaker by the day. His illness would eventually be the end of him without proper treatment, if Sasuke didn't kill him in the next few months. He was stalling for time and he knew it. So did Kisame.

"Perhaps not. You know you are the first partner that I've ever had who I haven't wanted to kill." Kisame says conversationally.

"I'm flattered. That's very _touching."_ Itachi replies dryly.

"I thought so. I could do a lot more touching if you want." Kisame whispers hotly into his ear.

In a twisted way, it was amusing. Kisame had no qualms about restraining him and telling Sasuke the truth, but apparently he still wanted consent. Well he supposed that there really was honor amongst thieves after all.

"What makes you think that I would be interested?" He asks.

"You didn't try to kill me after I spilled the beans. You aren't exactly protesting at the moment. I know that you want me on some level, but as always you have to play the martyr." The sword lover answers him.

Itachi couldn't deny that. There was something rather primal about the other man. He had never been one to be attracted to what was considered conventionally beautiful. If things were different, maybe he would have taken Kisame up on his offer. Itachi would never admit this out loud, but he enjoyed sex was much as the next ninja.

"Well then, I should live up to my role. It wouldn't be fair to you. It wouldn't be fair to start something that I know that I will never be able to finish. I'm a dead man walking and we both realize that. Whether Sasuke kills me or my illness ends me, it doesn't matter. At most, I have a few months to live." The elder Uchiha brother reminds him.

"I think we both know that you could seek out real treatment and that there is a good chance you'd live, if you did." Kisame says.

Itachi sighs. After everything that he had done, he didn't think that he deserved to live. His plan had been to let Sasuke kill him. Then his foolish little brother could be the hero. Sasuke would be able to start a new chapter in their Clan's history. (And hopefully a happier one.)

It would have all been perfect, if only Kisame had kept his mouth shut. Maybe he was being a coward, but he was so very tired of living with his guilt. At least he could give Sasuke the satisfaction of revenge. That would be something, wouldn't it?

"Do you really think that I'm worth saving?" He asks.

"I don't think you are. I know you are. I'm here by choice. You aren't." Kisame reminds him.

* * *

Elsewhere, Tsunade drives her fist through the wall of her office in fury. She couldn't believe it. Danzo was dead.

Oh she had no love for that vile scheming viper. Still he was Danzo. He was supposed to be untouchable. Even in his old age, he was a formidable ninja. There were very few people who could take him out and yet someone had.

She knew who. It had to be Sasuke and Naruto. One of the ANBUS told her that someone thought they saw a giant snake summon. Orochimaru could have taught Sasuke how to do that. That combined with the fact she felt Sasuke and Naruto's chakra signatures in the area, told her all she needed to know

"What are we going to do, My Lady?" Shizune asks fearfully.

There was no going back now. It would be one thing if Sasuke deserted the Leaf to get revenge on Itachi. That could easily be explained away. Hell, she could even give Naruto some leeway.

She could say that he went with Sasuke out of fear of what the youngest Uchiha might do to his teammates, if he didn't. The Hokage could even say that the blonde had just wanted to help his friend. Yes, there were ways to explain Naruto's "betrayal."

"I don't know." The busty blonde admits.

Well at least there had been ways to explain everything. That was until they murdered Danzo. Now there was no going back. She would have to punish them in some way.

Perhaps they could claim self-defense. It wasn't as though Danzo was still around to claim otherwise. Maybe she could use that as a way to save them from being executed.

"We have to do something. Sasuke and Naruto just killed a Leaf Ninja. This can't be allowed to go on without being addressed." The brunette protests.

"I'm aware of that. We do not know why they killed Danzo though. If it was merely self-defense than that is an entirely different matter. Self-defense is a far cry from an assassination." The Kage insists.

Shizune sighs and nods. Somehow, she doubted that that was all there was to it. Something else was going on. Something deeper and likely darker.

She could understand Sasuke killing Danzo. That boy had completed his descent into darkness. Naruto was different though. He had always been such a good person. She couldn't imagine him killing just for the sake of killing.

"What are your orders, Lady Tsunade?" The young woman inquires.

"Capture Sasuke Uchiha and Naruto Uzumaki. I want them alive, so that they can be questioned. Dispatch more ANBU." She orders.

"Yes, Lady Hokage!" Shizune says as she rushes off to do exactly that.

Tsunade sighs. This was spiraling out of control. She didn't know what she would do, if she couldn't claim self-defense. Why did Naruto have to chase after Sasuke? Why couldn't he decide to chase after a nice girl or at least a man who wasn't an S Class Criminal?!

* * *

Meanwhile back in the Sound Village, Orochimaru was being briefed by Kabuto. He smiles. The silver haired man was such a loyal follower. He was in the process of telling him everything.

"So you say that Sasuke and Naruto showed up with injuries after encountering Itachi? How severe were they?" He demands.

"Fairly severe. Sasuke lost a fair amount of blood, but they were not life threatening. Well perhaps they would have been without treatment. Naruto also had a broken foot and hand. They got off rather easy though. One has to consider who their opponent was after all." The medic answers him.

Orochimaru frowns and nods. Itachi had almost cost him his vessel. Though he supposed there was a bright side to this. Now that Sasuke knew he was still no match for Itachi, he would certainly continue his stay at the Sound.

"I'm glad that their injuries were not too severe. Did you notice anything else?" Orochimaru inquires.

Kabuto pauses. He was uncertain of how to articulate what he knew had to be explained. The two of them were growing closer, but they weren't Mates yet.

"I believe that it is simply a matter of time before they become Mates. Naruto's eyes scarcely ever leave Sasuke. There was a certain tenderness in the manner that they would look at each other." He states.

"Excellent. If Sasuke does become his Mate, that will mean that we can easily harness the power of the Nine Tails." The Sannin says with a smirk.

The silver haired medic nods. That much was true. There were so many things that would be possible with the help of the beast's chakra. Still he knew the truth.

Nothing was ever that simple when it came to Sasuke and Naruto. The feelings might be there, but he doubted that things were going to be that easy. It was more likely than not that Sasuke was going to make it very difficult for the blonde to Mark him. That would likely enrage Naruto sooner or later. This might not end well.

"I do have my concerns. Sasuke might play just a little too coy and Naruto could become rather aggressive." He warns Orochimaru.

"True, but I'm certain that we can find a way to help nature take its course." The elder ninja assures Kabuto and suddenly the medic felt rather grateful that he wasn't Sasuke or Naruto. (Nothing good ever happened after Orochimaru smirked like that).


	9. Admit It

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kisame and Naruto struggle to woo their respective Uchihas.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews. I hope everyone enjoys this chapter.
> 
> Chapter Notation: Naruto and Sasuke had a minor spat, but don't worry. They'll work it out.

A few days later and Sasuke had recovered from his injuries. Kabuto was helping the youngest Uchiha build up his 'immunity' again. God, did Naruto hate it when that freak injected Sasuke with God knows what and watching his Mate be in pain afterwards.

Oh he was a stubborn bastard. Sasuke would never admit that he was suffering. Naruto could tell though.

"Naruto, I'm fine. It honestly didn't hurt this time." Sasuke tries to reassure him.

"I don't like it. Sasuke, you really have no way of knowing if they are even telling you the truth about what they are injecting you with." He protests.

Sasuke sighs. He shakes his head and places a quick kiss against Naruto's lips. That was usually the fastest way to get compliance out of him. That and he still just liked kissing.

Naruto returns the kiss. He breaks it and looks at the youngest Uchiha intensely. This time he was putting his foot down. No more injections!

"Naruto, he wants me to be his vessel. He's not going to do anything that will seriously hurt me. You know that. I appreciate that you are worried about me, but you don't have to be. Well at least not in this case." The raven haired ninja tells him.

**_"This is getting ridiculous. He completely rejects any of our attempts to be a proper Mate and protect him. If he was a woman, I would just Claim him and sire kits with our Mate. Then maybe he would listen."_** Kurama hisses in irritation.

Naruto briefly tries to picture a female Sasuke. He couldn't do it. The blonde knew that it was likely his Mate would be stunning in either gender though. Now he was kinda curious to see what Sasuke would look like in the Sexy Jutsu. Just to see.

**"Yeah. Well Sasuke is male. So that's not really an option. You have any other ideas?"** The blonde replies.

**_"Mark and Claim him. Then he will feel what you feel. That should settle him down. If he knows your concern is genuine, he might be more cooperative."_** The Nine Tails suggests.

The blue eyed ninja glances down at Sasuke's stomach. Well the other man had healed since his battle with Danzo. There wasn't a risk of opening up his injuries anymore. Maybe, Kyuubi had a point.

"Loser, why are you looking at me that way?" Sasuke asks.

"I was just checking to make sure that your injuries are better. I don't want them to reopen." The blonde replies.

Sasuke raises an eyebrow. He felt fine. Naruto should know by now that he was a fast healer. Something was up.

"Thanks, but I'm fine. Naruto, I'm not made of glass. Seriously, if I can survive the battle with Haku, I think I can handle a few cuts. Don't worry so much." Sasuke tells him and kisses his cheek before heading back to their room.

Naruto sighs. He really wished that Sasuke would just listen to him. He wanted his boyfriend to be more careful. Was that really so much to ask?

He grumbles and follows Sasuke back to their room. The youngest Uchiha had just taken his shirt off and examining his reflection in the mirror. If anyone else had done that, Naruto would have assumed they were just checking to make sure that they looked good.

He knew Sasuke though. There were a lot of things that his Mate was arrogant about. Surprisingly, his looks had never really been one of them. (Well as far as he could tell anyway.)

"We should have killed him slower." Naruto growls as he gets behind Sasuke and wraps his arms around his waist.

He couldn't help but glance at the mirror. It was uncanny really. It was almost like the Sun was embracing the Moon. They couldn't be more different in their looks or their mannerisms, but somehow they complimented each other perfect. Yin and Yang.

"That would have been enjoyable, but some of the Leaf's Ninjas were on their way. We didn't have time to drag it out and since when do you condone torture?" Sasuke asks and raises an eyebrow at THAT development.

"Since he hurt you." Naruto says and kisses Sasuke's bare shoulder.

Sasuke wasn't sure whether to feel flattered that Naruto cared that much or concerned. **_HE_** was supposed to be sadistic one. The blonde was supposed to be the **_GOOD_** one.

"Mmm I have to admit that I wouldn't have cried if he suffered more, but that's not like you." Sasuke murmurs.

"Well I was never looking at a man who ordered genocide before either. Some people are just too evil to let off easy." Naruto says and his hands glide against Sasuke's stomach in a slow, sensual fashion.

There was something very _possessive_ about that touch. Somehow it was different than all the other times that Naruto had touched him before. He'd never admit it out loud, but part of him was very excited about this development. Sasuke would be lying if he denied that inside a darkened corner of his mind, alarm bells were beginning to ring though.

"I agree. I just never though that you would take that view." Sasuke murmurs and leans back into Naruto.

He was being ridiculous. There was no reason to be nervous around Naruto. The blonde had proven time and time again that he loved him. Naruto had even been willing to leave the Leaf behind, just to follow him. Being anxious around him was the height of absurdity.

**_"He's perceptive. I think he's beginning to realize what you are planning on doing. It would be best to distract him."_** Kurama suggests.

"Neither did I. There are just some things that are unforgivable. Hurting you is one of them." He says and his hands begin to make a more southern descent.

Sasuke smiles. Yes, he was being ridiculous. Naruto was just overprotective. Really fucking overprotective, but there was not devious plotting going on in his mind. He was still Naruto.

The Jinchuuriki decides to follow Kurama's advice. There was nothing wrong with making his boyfriend feel good. Was there?

"You're really sensitive. I meant what I said though. Hurting you is unforgivable. I love you. I know that you have a lot of issues that you have to work through and that your mind isn't always a happy place, but I want you to be my Mate. I can handle the bad stuff, just as long as we are together. You don't have to shoulder all that pain alone anymore." He says as he kisses Sasuke's neck and begins lightly teasing him.

"N-Naruto that's not fair." The youngest Uchiha says as he lets out a quiet moan at the attention.

Yeah. Naruto knew it wasn't fair. Sasuke's neck was definitely his spot, but he didn't want him to say no. His bastard loved him. He had said as much. Sasuke just had cold feet about the bond because he didn't want Naruto to get barraged with all of the other man's bad memories at once.

The blonde was touched that Sasuke was so worried about him really, but enough was enough. They were Mates. They should make it official. Then maybe, just maybe Sasuke would stop putting himself in harm's way for no good fucking reason. Starting with those stupid injections!

"A ninja must expect the unexpected, remember?" He growls into Sasuke's ear.

* * *

Back in the Leaf, Tsunade sighs. It was Danzo's funeral. Everyone wanted to know who was responsible for his death. She had made the ANBU swear a vow of secrecy. The best way that she could protect Naruto and Sasuke was to ensure that no one found out that they had killed Danzo.

The busty blonde was a skilled actress. She did her best to put on a good show. Honestly, she was rather glad that Danzo was dead. Still he had been a respected member of the village. In his own way, he had done everything that he could to protect the Leaf. He did at least deserve a decent funeral.

"Thank you all for coming today. I'm certain that he would have appreciated it. The Leaf has lost a damn fine ninja and we all mourn, but the Will of Fire will still burn forevermore." Tsunade insists.

There were respectful cheers and applause. She braces herself and continues giving the sendoff speech. Some days, she really hated her job.

As far as she was concerned, Danzo had been a viper. It was a damn good thing that he was dead, but she had to at least pretend to be sad about his end. It was annoying really.

"And so we say farewell to this hero of our village. Kakashi, please carve his name on the Memorial Stone." She instructs the silver haired ninja and he flits off to do exactly that.

Did he deserve to have his name on that stone? No, but public perception was important. If they felt that he was being slighted from beyond then grave, there would be a public outcry. She couldn't allow that to happen.

God knows that she had enough problems on her hand. The first of which was finding Sasuke and Naruto. Then she had to find a way to bring them back to the Leaf and craft a suitable punishment.

"You did beautifully, My Lady." Shizune says after the funeral.

"Thank you. Though we both know that it was forced. In any case, we have to find out why Sasuke and Naruto would kill Danzo." She mutters.

Shizune nods. It could have been anything really. Maybe Danzo had just seen them and attacked. Maybe the two boys were targeting the Leaf. There was no way of knowing what had really happened at the moment.

"Do you really think that we are going to get them back?" The brunette asks.

"I don't know. Every day that they are away from the Leaf, I honestly lose a little bit more hope. This has gone on too long. God help us all, if Orochimaru actually uses Sasuke as his vessel. There is no telling what Naruto will do." She mutters.

The Hokage winces as she pictures one of the possible scenarios to such an outcome. Naruto would completely lose control. The Nine Tails would go on a rampage and most likely thousands, if not tens of thousands of lives would be lost before the beast could be restrained.

"You don't think that he would actually go through with it, do you? Sasuke wants to kill Itachi and restore his Clan. He obviously can't do that, if he gives his body up to Orochimaru." The other woman reasons.

"I don't think that we can count on anything. I never would have suspected that Naruto would willingly join a criminal village, but he did. The best thing that we can do now, is try to keep the truth about Danzo's death a secret." She says with a heavy sigh and Shizue nods in agreement.

"Is there anything that I can do for you, Lady Tsunade?" She inquires.

"You can go see if Kakashi has carved Danzo's name into the stone yet. We do have to keep up public appearances The last thing we need is for any of his supporters to feel like we dishonored him after his death. That would cause a riot." The busty blonde mutters.

With that order, Shizune took off. Tsunade sighs as she watches her assistant leave. She couldn't help but wonder how everything had spun so wildly out of control.

* * *

Elsewhere, Kisame and Itachi were on the move. They were looking for another Tailed Beast. The Akatsuki was attempting to collect them all. It was a daunting task to say the least.

"Have you decided what you are going to do about your kid brother yet?" The blue skinned man asks.

"No. I have not. I wouldn't need to, if you hadn't told him the truth." Itachi replies.

Kisame sighs. Yeah, he was still definitely in the dog house. Still Itachi hadn't actually tried to kill him yet. He took that as a good sign. Though he wasn't dumb enough to let his guard down, just in case his partner started to have second thoughts about not trying to kill him.

"I'm sorry that I upset you, but you can you really blame me? You were just going to let him kill you. You know that is almost as bad as actually going through with the Massacre. Not only did the brat lose most of his family, most of his life is based on a lie." Kisame reasons.

Itachi twitches. He had thought about that many times before. Kisame wasn't saying anything that wasn't accurate. Still it irritated him.

"Most people's lives are based on lies, if you drill down deeply enough. I would rather have him live a happy lie, than a painful truth." The elder Uchiha brother murmurs.

The other Akatsuki member was considering protesting that, when he saw a bonfire in saw fireworks being shot off in the distance. If his sense of direction was accurate, it was coming from the Leaf. Funeral fireworks. The kind of fireworks that were only set off for very important occasions.

"It certainly didn't take them long to arrange Danzo's funeral." He muses.

"No, it did not. It's no great loss to the world. Though I suppose I shall be joining him shortly enough." Itachi states as he pulls out his medication from his ninja pouch and takes it.

Kisame tries to suppress a growl. He knew that he hadn't been entirely successful when Itachi gave him a funny look. Oh yeah. He had heard Kisame growl alright.

"That doesn't have to be the case and you know it. I don't know why you insist on playing the martyr. It really does not suit you." The former Mist Ninja seethes.

"I will decide what does and what doesn't suit me." Itachi informs Kisame and his eyes bleed from smoky gray to crimson red.

Shit. That was not a good sign. Itachi was doing that freaky eye thing. He wanted a fight now. It was a fight that Kisame was almost certain he would lose. He would have to hold back, if he didn't want to kill Itachi. The former Leaf Villager wouldn't hold back. That gave him the advantage.

"Come on, Itachi. Don't be like that. We both know that you don't really want to fight. You should be resting. At this rate, you'll die before Sasuke can kill you." He teases him.

"I suppose you find that comment amusing?" Itachi replies and raises an eyebrow.

"It was kinda funny in a morbid way. Admit it." The other man insists and Itachi just sighs.

He had no idea what he was going to do about Kisame. Itachi would be lying if he said that he didn't have feelings for the other man. He wasn't quite certain as to how deep they were. The Uchiha tried to push them to the back of his mind and continue pushing forward. Unfortunately, it seemed that his partner wasn't going to allow that.

"It was perhaps mildly amusing in a rather childish way. Actually, that description is rather apt in general when it comes to you." Itachi retorts.

"For someone who comes from a Fire Clan, you sure can be icy." Kisame grumbles and Itachi merely rolls his eyes.

He wouldn't attack Kisame. He was right in a way. Itachi needed to conserve his strength. Fighting with the other Akatsuki member was not a productive use of his time and remaining health.

"You're right. I don't want to fight you. So stop being foolish and I won't." He says as he continues on.

"You're the foolish one, not me. But alright. I got it." Kisame states as he follows Itachi.

* * *

Meanwhile back in the Sound Village, Sasuke shivers at the growl. He didn't know why, but that was disturbingly hot to him. Maybe it had something to do with where Naruto's hand currently was though.

"That's true. A ninja should expect the unexpected, but you really should stop. I can't think straight with you are doing THAT! OH FUCK!" Sasuke moans when the blonde continues teasing his Mate.

"Well that's kinda the idea. You don't have to think about anything. Just let yourself feel good for once. Stop worrying about everything. I can handle it, Sasuke. I can." Naruto says.

"I want to be your Mate, but AFTER we kill Itachi. I don't want you to be connected to my mind until it's…safer." Sasuke says.

Naruto growls. He was NOT happy about that answer. Logically, he knew that Sasuke had a point. Unfortunately for Sasuke, the blonde was not thinking logically at the moment.

"Will you stop running away from me?! That's all you do!" The blonde snaps at him.

"I'm not running away from you. I'm just saying that it would be better to wait. Will you just listen to me?" Sasuke snarls at him.

**_"He's challenging you again. If you continue to allow him to treat you in such a way, he is going to think he is the Dominant Mate. If you are content to be the Submissive Mate, then I suppose it doesn't matter. I would pull rank though."_** Kurama says.

Normally, Naruto would have told Kurama to be quiet. But Sasuke had snarled at him. That set Naruto off.

It wasn't right. He was just trying to Claim Sasuke. Naruto wanted them to be Mates. He loved Sasuke. Sasuke loved him. So why was he being so difficult? Why was he treating Naruto like he was being unreasonable?!

"I am listening to you. I always do. Sasuke, I'm here because I listened to you. I gave up everything for you. My home, my friends, and my dream of being Hokage." Naruto thunders at him.

"I asked you to come with me. You didn't have to. You made your choice! If you aren't happy with me, maybe you can beg the Leaf for forgiveness. They might take you back!" Sasuke growls.

That was just too much for Naruto to take. How **_DARE_** Sasuke try to push him away, AGAIN?! Naruto could live to be a hundred and he would never understand how he could love someone so fucking much and yet want beat them to a bloody pulp at the same time.

"I don't mind. You're my most precious person, but I'm TIRED of you always running away from me. You say you love me, but you won't let me Mark you. You won't let me protect and love you, like a **_GOOD_** Mate should!" The blonde begins practically roaring at him.

Sasuke sighs. He knew that on some level, Naruto wasn't fully in control of himself. Kyuubi's instincts were obviously reeking havoc within him. It wasn't fair to be angry with him.

"Naruto, you do protect me. You helped with Danzo. I know that you love me. You are a very good Mate. It's just the timing that isn't good." Sasuke says, trying to reason with the blonde.

That seemed to pacify Naruto a bit. Sasuke noticed that Naruto's red eyes were starting to change back to blue and his whiskers were a little less jagged than before. It looked like flattery was an effective tool.

"I want to do more though." He whispers and brushes his lips against Sasuke's.

Sasuke smiles and kisses back. He knew that Naruto meant well. It wasn't his fault that Itachi had been ordered to butcher his family and that his head was so messed up. For now, he'd just distract him.

The youngest Uchiha nudges Naruto until he fell back on the bed. Sasuke soon straddles his lap and places Naruto's hands over his head. He leans down and whispers into his ear.

"I want to as well. I really want to. You're a good Mate, Naruto. I'll be a good Mate soon too. It's just that I have to do a few things first. You chased me for three years. Can't you wait just a little while longer?" He asks.

**_"Well that's better. At least he acknowledges that he's your Mate. I'd still Claim him though. We can't have him challenging us like this all the time."_** Kurama says.

"You're telling me not to Claim you, but your straddling me? Sasuke, that's kinda sending mixed signals. Don't you think?" Naruto asks.

Sasuke considers that and nods. He did want the blonde to know that the desire was mutual though. That had just seemed the easiest way to do it.

"Maybe a little. I do feel bad though. You're right. I have been running away from you a lot. This time it wasn't intentional though. I could make it up to you though. Well, at least a little." Sasuke says.

"How?" Naruto asks and Sasuke smiles slyly at him.

The blonde blinks. Ohhh. So THAT'S what he meant. The former Leaf Ninja nods his head dumbly.

"Just a little bit. It's obvious that the Nine Tails is influencing with you. I don't want to go too far. That will probably trigger your instinct to Mark me." Sasuke murmurs.

**Warning Lime**

"Okay." Naruto agrees and Sasuke slides his clothes off.

He wasn't sure what a little bit included exactly, but he liked that it involved him being naked. Maybe, it would involve Sasuke getting naked too. He was already half naked.

Sasuke blinks. Naruto had apparently been VERY ready to Mark him. The blonde was fully aroused.

"You weren't kidding." Sasuke muses as he glides his hand over the impressive erection slowly.

"Fuck! T-That feels good." Naruto growls in approval and bucks into his hand.

Sasuke smirks. It looked like he wasn't the only one who was sensitive. He shifts a bit to deal with his own growing arousal as he continues his task.

There was something incredibly erotic about the way that the blonde began to call out his name and thrust into his hand. It was like Naruto couldn't get enough of him.

"Good. It's supposed to." Sasuke says as he kisses his blonde heatedly and strokes him faster.

Naruto moans into the kiss and returns it. His tongue completely plundered every corner of his mouth. Normally, the youngest Uchiha would have fought for control, but there was just no keeping up with him. Ultimately, surrendered control of the kiss to Naruto in favor of teasing him more with his hand.

Naruto had never felt anything so good in his life. If this was just foreplay, he wondered what actual sex would feel like. Pure white hot desire was rushing through his veins and it almost felt like he was flying. He snarls out his pleasure as his orgasm tore straight through him.

"You really _ **are**_ sensitive." Sasuke muses as he glances at the evidence of Naruto's _sensitivity_ on his hand, before helping the blonde to get dressed.

**End Lime**

"I can't help it. You have no idea how good that felt. I want to do the same to you. I want to do EVERYTHING with you." Naruto says.

Sasuke shakes his head and lays beside Naruto. It was sweet. Naruto was really eager to please, but he knew better. He was probably pushing his luck just giving that inch. The blonde would probably try to take a mile soon.

"I want to do everything with you, but you know that isn't a good idea. At least not now. I just don't want you to doubt that I love you. I do." Sasuke murmurs and rests his head on Naruto's chest.

"Sasuke, after we deal with Itachi, I'm going to Mark you and then I'm going to Claim." Naruto tells him.

"I know." His almost lover says.

Naruto smiles. Good. Well at least his most precious person loved him back. Still it was important to exert at least a little dominance.

"So hard that you aren't going to be able to walk right for a week." He finishes.

"I love you, but you are such a delusional loser sometimes. You don't actually think that you are going to top, do you?" Sasuke asks and raises an eyebrow.

"Well yeah. Obviously, I am." Naruto says and his Mate raises an eyebrow in a silent challenge.

Sasuke couldn't believe Naruto had said something like that. Clearly, Kyuubi was influencing him. Then again, Naruto could be stubborn. Maybe he actually thought he was the one who would be holding the reigns during intimacy.

"You wish." Sasuke says with a smirk and he silently vows to prove Naruto wrong, later on.


	10. Congratulations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Congratulations are in order for our favorite couple.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews. I hope you all enjoy this chapter.
> 
> Chapter Notation: Originally, I was going to have Naruto much more aggressive, but I decided against it. Naruto would ask first. So his temper is going to flare, it just won't be with Sasuke…this time ;)

The next day Sasuke was grateful that he was in Orochimaru's secret library. Only three people had access to it. Orochimaru, Kabuto, and him. That meant that he had almost complete privacy.

**_"_** Kabuto must have injected me with some sort of aphrodisiac with a delayed reaction time." He growls in frustration.

All his efforts appeared to be in vain though. It must have been a rather powerful aphrodisiac. Sasuke had never seen anything like it before.

"I need to deal with this before I go back to our room." Sasuke mutters in disgust with himself.

God help him, if Naruto found out about this. There would be absolutely no waiting for the right moment, if he did. Sasuke was in love and he was as hormonal teenager. He might not have thought about it much before the blonde came to the Sound, but now his interest was definitely **_aroused_** in more ways than one.

"If I let him help me though, he's going to Mark me." Sasuke was now at war with himself.

Should he ask for Naruto's help or not? If he did, it was a fact that the blonde would mark him and that wasn't something that could be taken back.

Naruto would feel everything he felt. He would know the despair, the hatred, and loneliness. He didn't want to subject his idiot to that.

Actually, the only person he might want to subject to that was Itachi. Even that, he wasn't so sure about anymore. He had no idea what to feel towards his older brother at the moment. Just confusion.

* * *

**_"Brat, your Mate needs your assistance at the moment. Rather badly, it would seem. Now is the time to claim him."_** Kurama informs him.

**"Wait. You can smell THAT?!"** The blue eyed ninja asks in disbelief.

**_"Yes, I can. I don't know why that surprises you. Humans have such pathetically weak senses. Now go to your Mate. I'll show you the way."_** He instructs his host.

Naruto nods dumbly. He follows Kurama's instructions to a bookshelf. Kyuubi kept insisting that Sasuke was behind it. Eventually, the fox told him where the youngest Uchiha's scent was the strongest and Naruto pulls out a book.

That did it. The book shelf slide open and revealed a door behind it. The blonde didn't waste in any time in darting through it.

He was really glad he had when he found out what was on the other side. Kurama hadn't been kidding when he said that Sasuke needed him. Boy, did he need him! That looked borderline painful.

"Sasuke?" He calls out.

Naruto had never seen Sasuke blush that red before. His Mate quickly tries to hide his _problem._ Yeah that wasn't going to work.

"Naruto, how did you find this place?" Sasuke demands and tries to salvage what little was left of his dignity.

"Kurama followed your scent. He told me. Yeah. I didn't know that he could do that either." The blonde says as he approaches his boyfriend.

"Oh that's not creepy at all." Sasuke mutters sarcastically as the blonde sits by him.

The Jinchuuriki couldn't disagree with the other man's observation. It really was creepy. There was no getting around it, but Naruto wasn't about to argue with the results.

"Yeah. Maybe a little. Why didn't you come to me? I could've helped." He asks.

"Kabuto clearly drugged me with something designed to increase my sex drive. It wouldn't be right to use you like that. It'll filter out of my system, eventually. At least I hope so." Sasuke mutters.

Naruto shakes his head. Sasuke could be a really stubborn bastard sometimes. Why wouldn't he just ask him for help? Damn his pride.

**Warning Lime**

"Sasuke, you wouldn't be using me. If you are, well I'm just fine with being used in that way. Hell, you can use me anytime you want." The blue eyed ninja tells Sasuke as he kisses him and slides the raven haired man's pants off.

Maybe, Naruto could help him a little bit. He wouldn't entirely put it past the silver haired medic to have developed a special kind of aphrodisiac. Maybe he had to have a partner _assist_ him to make the effects go away.

The former Leaf Village decides that Naruto could help him. Just a little bit. Maybe he could just get him off with his hands or suck him off. That might be enough to make it go away without triggering Naruto's instinct to Mark him.

"You really shouldn't say things like that to me. That bastard drugged me. Do you think you could…help me without Marking me?" The older ninja dares himself to ask.

Naruto frowns. He knew why Sasuke didn't want to become official Mates yet, but he couldn't lie. It did hurt that he was so insistent about it. Still he wasn't going to turn down the chance to nudge his almost lover in the right direction.

"Yeah. I can do that. Besides, I really should return the favor, you know?" He asks with a grin as he grasps Sasuke in his hand.

"Y-Yeah. That's true." Sasuke groans.

**_"You want more of a caress than anything in this situation. The drug is obviously having a somewhat painful effect on him."_** Kurama advises.

**"Kurama! Go back into our mind. That's sick! You can't watch us when we are TOGETHER like this!"** Naruto snaps at him and the Nine Tails retreats to the back of his mind, with a laugh.

The blonde mentally sighs in relief when he realizes that they weren't going to have an audience and starts to gently stroke the other man. He smirks when he saw Sasuke throw his head back in pleasure and arch into his touch. God he was gorgeous when he was like this, even more so than usual.

"F-Feels good." Sasuke stammers and thrusts into Naruto's hand.

Any other time, Sasuke would have been embarrassed to behave so wantonly. He was supposed to have more self-control than this. But it just felt too good not to give in. Well at least for a little while.

Why did that feel so much better when Naruto did it, than when he did it? The blonde seemed to know his own body better than he did. Sasuke moans when Naruto's hand began to move faster.

"That's better. Just relax." Naruto instructed him as he kisses him hotly and continues pumping him.

Sasuke bucks into his hand more desperately now. He was so close. He heard himself moan into the kiss as he returned it, but didn't care. He came hard. The euphoria that accompanied his orgasm was almost blinding.

Naruto couldn't help but feel **_proud_** that he could make Sasuke feel THAT good. He'd never seen anything more beautiful in his entire life than when his Mate came. The way his ruby red eyes would cloud over with absolute passion and stratification was nothing short of memorizing. He didn't want anyone else to get to see this side of Sasuke, Naruto thinks to himself as he helps his Mate dress.

**End Lime**

"N-Naruto your eyes are red." Sasuke pants out.

Despite the fact that he was currently enjoying the lingering effects of his everything, Sasuke was dimly aware that he should be concerned. Naruto's eyes were red and his teeth were getting sharper. That meant that he was **_Going Kyuubi._**

"Sorry. I can't really help it." Naruto says as he gets up and gets behind Sasuke.

The blonde quickly sits behind him and starts lavishing the youngest Uchiha's neck with soft kisses. Sasuke shivers and tilts his neck to the side. That felt nice.

"I guess it's like your version of the Sharingan. It just kinda happens when you get excited." Sasuke muses as he enjoys the necking.

"Yeah. Looks like it." Naruto agrees as he licks Sasuke's neck roughly and starts to nip and suck.

The raven haired ninja closes his eyes in pleasure and moans. It really wasn't fair that Naruto knew his spot. The idiot was apparently going to use this knowledge to his advantage at every opportunity.

"Nhh." He moans.

"Can I Mark you? I promise that I can handle whatever goes on in your head. Besides, I deal with Kurama all the time. There's no way that anything that goes on in your mind, can be more twisted than him." Naruto stops his administrations long enough to ask, before going right back to necking.

"Naruto, that's not fair and you know it. You can't ask me that when you're touching me like this." Sasuke protests.

Naruto bites down lightly on Sasuke's neck. The other ninja groans. That was fighting dirty and he knew it.

"I know it's not fair, but we are ninjas. Who cares about fair? I want to be with you and I know you feel the same way. You wouldn't let me touch you like that, if you didn't." He reasons.

Well Sasuke couldn't really argue with that. He probably would have killed anyone else who had even thought about touching him that way. Naruto was different though. He had always been different.

"You're right about that." Sasuke admits.

He frowns. Sasuke wasn't sure what to do exactly. He did want to be Naruto's Mate, he just wanted the timing to be better.

Sadly, the raven haired ninja knew that Kurama's instincts were likely already reeking havoc on his favorite blonde. It was only a matter of time before he snapped. He didn't want them to become Mates after the other ninja lost control during a fight or something.

"Is that a yes?" Naruto asks hopefully.

"If we do this, what happens? I know you have to bite me on the neck. But what happens after that? Are we going to pass out or something? Because the only people that are supposed to know about this place are me, Orochimaru, and Kabuto. If they find us here, it won't end well." Sasuke warns him.

Naruto frowns. That was a good point. It definitely wouldn't be romantic if Snake Eyes and Four Eyes barged in on them.

**_"One of you will fall asleep after Marked. That one is the Submissive Mate. The other will stay awake and be able to watch over the other. There are advantages and disadvantages to being the Dominant or the Submissive. I'll explain later."_** Kurama says.

"Kurama says that one of us will fall asleep and the other can keep watch. So I guess we should go back to our room." The blonde says and Sasuke nods as he quickly throws on his pants and heads off with Naruto.

* * *

Meanwhile Kisame watches as Itachi was sleeping. He looked completely exhausted. During the day, he was mostly able to hide his illness. The elder Uchiha brother was a damn good actor and too proud to admit when he was in pain. At night, it was a different story.

"Screw this." He growls as he scoops up Itachi in his arms and teleports them off.

It was a mark of how weakened Itachi was, that he didn't wake up immediately. The younger ninja was always aware of his surroundings and as far as Kisame could tell, a light sleeper. This was bad.

He didn't have a choice. The medicine just wasn't going to work much longer. He had to get at least one real treatment in. It might not save his life, but it could buy them some time. He'd deal with Itachi cursing him out later. For now, he knew what he had to do.

"He needs medical treatment now." Kisame says to one of the very frightened Mist Medics.

The Mist wasn't like the Leaf. While that village would treat anyone that needed care, it would report Criminal Ninjas after doing so. The Mist knew better than to do that.

"Yes, of course. What's wrong with him?" The middle aged woman inquires.

Kisame idly notes that her name tag said Miara. She had long straight brown hair that reached to the middle of her back and dark blue eyes. She was a small thing. He estimated that she was barely over five feet tall.

He would easily snap her like a twig, if she didn't help Itachi. Well that was true of most people. It didn't matter what their size was. Very few people could pose a real threat to him.

The blue skinned man quickly sets about explaining what was wrong with Itachi and shows her the medication he had been taken. Miara nods and has Kisame lead him into an operating room.

"We'll take good care of him. Don't worry." She assures him.

"You had better hope for your sake that you're right. If he dies, everyone in this hospital is going to die with him." Kisame informs her and flashes his fang-tastic smile.

Miara gulps. She merely nods and sets about helping the other medics work on Itachi. Kisame departs from the operating room. As much as he wanted to be with Itachi, he knew that his presence would only distract the doctors. Distracted doctors tended to make more mistakes. So obviously, he should give them some space.

He sighs and heads to the waiting room. Kisame was getting a lot of strange looks, but it didn't bother him. He was used to it.

He might be a ninja, but even ninjas usually stared at him. Itachi was one of the few people who hadn't been intimidated by his shark teeth, blue skin, gills, or other unique features. In a way, they were like something out of a fairytale, he supposed. Itachi was the prince and he was the beast.

"He'd imprison me with that freaky eye thing of his, if I told him that." Kisame says to himself.

Itachi definitely wasn't one to believe in fairytales. Kisame couldn't exactly blame him. After the life that he had led, it was only natural that he would scoff at such sentimental notions.

"What freaky eye thing?" One of the hospital workers asks.

"Oh nothing. What do you want?" He demands.

"Nothing. You just looked a little lonely and we are supposed to make sure that our guests are alright." The woman says.

Oh. Well that was nice of them. Too bad for her, he didn't do nice. He flashes her one of his infamous smiles and the girl makes a polite excuse to get the fuck away from him.

"People always judge a book by its cover." He muses.

It didn't bother him anymore. If anything, he delighted in people's frightened reactions to him. It was fun. Itachi would have called him childish, but he didn't care. It was the simple things in life, that really made it worth living.

* * *

Back in the Sound, Naruto and Sasuke had returned to their room. The blonde could tell that his favorite bastard was more than a little nervous. He was as well. Mostly though, he was excited.

"So how do we know which of us is going to pass out?" Sasuke asks as he sits on the bed.

"We don't. It's just kinda random that way. At least one of us will stay conscious. Kurama says that's to make sure that nothing happens to the one that falls asleep." Naruto says as he sits behind him.

"Makes sense, I guess." Sasuke says and he tilts his head to the side, exposing his neck more.

Naruto was probably the only one that he would ever expose his neck to like this. It was just such a vulnerable spot. There was an artery there, that if you cut…you'd bleed to death. To Sasuke, this was almost as big a display of trust as letting Naruto touch him intimately.

"Stay still. I don't want to accidentally take a chunk out of your neck." Naruto warns him as he goes back to kissing him on the collarbone.

"Mmm alright. Try not to mess this up." Sasuke murmurs as he closes his eyes in contentment and smirks while Naruto mutters something about bastards ruining the moment.

Naruto decides to get Sasuke back for that comment. He slides his hand underneath his almost lover's pants and strokes him once more. Sasuke moans and jerks against his touch wantonly.

"Tease." Sasuke growls.

"You deserved it." Naruto says as he contents himself with marking up more of the creamy skin on Sasuke's neck.

For some reason, it really fascinated him. It was so easy to turn it other colors. It was almost like canvas really. His "artwork" was designed to send one simple message. **_He's taken._**

Images of Sasuke back in the library flashed across his eyes. In some distant part of his mind, it did disturb him how possessive he felt of Sasuke. He'd probably kill someone for even thinking about looking at him in such an intimate moment.

"Go ahead." Sasuke murmurs as he sighs in pleasure at the affectionate touches being lavished upon him.

That was all Naruto needed. His teeth had already been lengthening, but the fact that Sasuke was actually giving him permission was the final straw. The small shred of self-control he had left **_SNAPPED._**

He sinks his teeth into Sasuke's neck. His temporary fangs sank through the flesh as easily as a knife could cut through butter. Sasuke's breath hitched, but Naruto didn't think it was from pain.

"Wow." He murmurs and Naruto watches as his chakra began flowing into the small puncture marks.

Sasuke's Sharingan activated and he turned around. The blonde had just enough time to note that the raven haired ninja now had fangs, before his Mate returned the favor. Naruto moans when he feels Sasuke's teeth sink into his skin.

It was physical proof that Sasuke wanted him just as much as he did. This wasn't just about hormones anymore. The Claiming would bind them together for life, even their minds were now going to be linked.

He could feel Sasuke's chakra now flooding his system. Naruto knew that Sasuke had a fire and lightning affinity, but he didn't think it would be so literal. It was like fire and lightning were now racing through his veins, but it didn't hurt. It felt really good. Like a pure rush of adrenaline.

"You can say that again." Naruto whispers in awe.

Sasuke leans back into Naruto as his eyes begin to glaze over. It was like a hurricane was rushing through his veins. He knew that Naruto's affinity was wind, but he hadn't though that would matter in this. It was overwhelming.

The last thought he had on his mind was that wind fanned the flames. His affinity was fire. Naruto's wind was just amplifying it. That was why it was such a rush.

"Sasuke!" Naruto calls out in alarm when he feels his Mate sage against him and his eyes close.

**_"He's alright. It looks like you were actually the Dominant Mate. That surprises me. The Uchiha has lead you around by the balls for years. I actually expected that he would end up being the Dominant. Congratulations. He'll wake in a few hours."_** Kurama assures him.

Naruto sighs in relief. Thank God. He had been worried that something went wrong.

The blonde maneuvers his Mate so that Sasuke was laying down. Then he places youngest Uchiha's head was in his lap. Naruto smiles and runs his fingers through the other ninja's hair.

**"So how does the mind thing work, exactly?"** Naruto asks.

**_"It depends. Sometimes it's unconscious. That's usually when your Mate is experiencing a strong emotion though. Sometimes you have to will it. Right now, you won't feel anything because he's in a dreamless sleep. If he were dreaming, you might feel something."_** Kurama replies.

Well that was good to know. It probably would have driven them both crazy, if it was automatic. Naruto pulls a blanket over his slumbering Mate and smiles.

That's when Naruto heard someone coming. Orochimaru peeks his head into the room. Naruto saw red.

"GET OUT!" He snarls.

The Sannin blinks. Then he saw Sasuke sleeping on Naruto's lap and the Marks on both of their necks. He smirks.

"So it looked like Kabuto's little push was really all that you needed. Wonderful news. I suppose congratulations are in order." The elder ninja states.

"I said get the fuck out!" Naruto snarls at him.

Orochimaru chuckles. Well it seemed that the Mating Bond had successfully formed. Naruto was acting on instinct to protect his Mate from any "threat."

"Now, now. Calm down. You really should be thanking me. It seems Sasuke had cold feet. Who knows how long, if ever he would have consented to being your Mate without the chemical assistance?" He asks casually.

THAT was it! Naruto lost it. How **_DARE_** Orochimaru try to imply that he had to drug Sasuke to get him to agree to be his Mate!

Sasuke wanted to be his Mate. It was just that he was anxious about how Naruto would react to the emotional aspect of their bond. He had said as much. Obviously, he had been originally planning to wait until the Itachi situation was settled. But Orochimaru was making it sound like **_HE_** had drugged Sasuke to trick him into agreeing to be Claimed!

"I'm going to tear you apart!" The blonde hisses at him and his chakra lashes around him in a violent fury, actually knocking over and burning anything in its path.

"Calm down, Naruto. As I said, I helped you. You should be grateful. We both only want what is best for Sasuke." He insists.

That was the wrong thing to say. Naruto knew what Orochimaru really meant by that. He wanted Sasuke to be healthy, until he could use him as his vessel. In the long-run, the Sannin was planning to take his Mate away from him and there was no way in fucking that he was going to allow such a thing to happen.

The elder ninja stares at Naruto cautiously. His chakra was truly a sight to behold at the moment. He was beginning to form tails. Damn it. The only logical course of action at the moment was to tactically retreat.

Apparently, Naruto wasn't going to have any of that though. He lunged and slammed Orochimaru into the wall so hard, that the Sannin coughed up some blood and was sure that he likely had gotten a couple broken bones from the force of the impact.

"Let's be reasonable about this." He hisses.

"You've got the wrong Mate, if you want reasonable. Sasuke might listen to you because he wants Itachi dead, but I'm not going to. He's MY Mate! You don't get to touch him, EVER!" The blonde seethes at him.

He was going to enjoy tearing Orochimaru apart. By the time, Sasuke was up, Naruto would make sure there was nothing left of this vile snake. Then he could never bother either of them again.

Sasuke was strong now. He was strong. They'd find a way to deal with Itachi. They didn't need Orochimaru.


	11. Reign

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a brutally short battle, a new Sound Ninja steps in to fill the power vacuum created by Orochimaru's death.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews. I hope you all enjoy this chapter.
> 
> Mangekyo Sharingan: One needs to feel the trauma of losing a loved one to activate the Mangekyo Sharingan, but I feel that that the trauma of seeing his Mate wounded would be sufficient to activate the Mangekyo as well. This story will eventually diverge radically from canon and I view this as tweak as helpful to the plot.

Itachi woke up and slowly opened his eyes. He blinks when he realizes that he wasn't in as much pain as usual. That's when he takes in his surroundings and realizes he was in a hospital.

"Damn Kisame." The elder Uchiha brother curses under his breath.

He wasn't certain who he was more angry with. Kisame or himself. How could he have lowered his guard enough for his partner to drag him off to a hospital? His illness must be progressing faster than he had anticipated, he muses.

"Don't damn Kisame, me. You're lucky that I took you here. You might not have lasted the night otherwise. I know that you have your heart set on playing the Martyr, but you aren't going to at this rate. You'll die way before Sasuke can kill you. And did you forget, there's a chance he might not want to kill you anymore?" The other Akatsuki reasons.

"You still talk far too much." Itachi states in a deadpanned voice.

Kisame sighs and shakes his head. The elder Uchiha brother had to be the most stubborn man that he had ever met. That was saying something because it looked like Sasuke was also pretty stubborn.

"In addition to the freaky eye thing and the good looks, it looks like all Uchihas are pigheaded. That or you are both Masochists." The former Mist Ninja observes.

"I don't know if I'm a Masochist, but I am feeling rather sadistic at the moment towards you." Itachi warns him.

"Good! If you are feeling well enough to want to smack me around, that means that the doctors worked some magic." Kisame says cheerfully.

Itachi shakes his head in amusement. He should be furious with Kisame and he was, but he was too similar to a child. A child that thought he had managed to successfully stolen a cookie from the cookie jar. There was something annoyingly endearing about it really.

"I suppose that is one way to look at it. Perhaps you did the right thing. If you were able to take me here, that's a bad sign. I can't believe that I didn't wake up." He mutters.

"You were dead to the world, Itachi. You really needed the rest. I mean it when I say that you don't have to die. Sasuke might forgive you. He might not, but at least now he knows the truth. That's something, right?" The Akatsuki member reasons.

The smoky eyed ninja sighs. He had no idea what he was going to do about Sasuke. Sooner or later, he would have to confront him though. Had Sasuke forgiven him or did he still want to kill him?

Now Kisame had inadvertently made things even more difficult for Sasuke. Before he knew the truth, his brother had been faced with a clear task. Kill a killer. Now, he knew that Itachi hadn't conducted the massacre of his own free will. That was a lot more morally ambiguous.

"I suppose that's something. I'm not entirely certain if it's a good thing though." He informs Kisame.

Kisame shakes his head. He smiles and kisses Itachi's forehead. He knew that it was a cheap move. His partner wasn't exactly in a position to resist the fairly chaste gesture.

"Get some rest. You are going to need it. You can't hide from him forever. Sasuke is going to have to choose his path for himself." He says.

"And if he chose to kill me, would you stand in his way? Would you attack him?" Itachi whispers.

The shark toothed man pauses. He honestly didn't know the answer to that. He wanted to respect Itachi's wishes. But at the same time, he didn't think that he could stand idly by and watch the other man die.

"I don't know. I guess we'll find out when we get there." He answers him.

"That's not particularly reassuring. Still I suppose it doesn't matter at this precise moment. I still need to allow the treatment to take its course before we set off. I hope you do realize that this was just a temporary fix. I would need much longer-term care, for my illness to be completely cured." The former Leaf Ninja warns him.

Kisame nods. He knew that. Itachi's sickness was not one that could be cured overnight. Still this was an important first step. It might not have saved his life, but it had certainly bought him some badly needed time.

"Yeah. Yeah. I know. Get some rest. You are going to need it." He instructs Itachi.

"Alright. You are insane, by the way. Sometimes I wonder if I'm not the only one with a death wish. I can't believe that you kidnapped me to get me medical treatment." The younger man muses as he closes his eyes and dozes off.

Kisame couldn't argue with that. He knew that he was crazy. Hell, he had been crazy before he met Itachi. Now that he was in love, he was definitely insane. That didn't bother him though. Being normal was boring.

* * *

Meanwhile back in the Sound Village, Sasuke was awoken to the sounds of a battle. His blurry eyes look around in confusion, when he realizes he was 'outside.' Orochimaru and Naruto was in the middle of an epic battle and must have destroyed the room at some point.

"Naruto?" He asks in a stunned voice as he witnesses his Mate trade blows with the Legendary Sannin.

"You should be grateful to me. Without Kabuto injecting that aphrodisiac into Sasuke, you two never would have Mated. Do you realize the enormous scientific value of your Mating? There is so much that can be learned about the Tailed Beasts! If you would stop allowing your emotions to rule you, you would see what a golden opportunity this is." The dark haired ninja says as he narrowly dodges Naruto's fist.

" _So this is the power of the Mating Bond,"_ Sasuke thinks to himself. He could **_FEEL_** Naruto's rage. It was hard to articulate. It was flowing through him and yet somehow he knew that those murderous feelings were not his own. He just knew instinctively that other presence in his mind was Naruto.

Naruto was acting more like a wild animal than a person at the moment. His tails were slashing around maliciously and occasionally one would make contact with Orochimaru's skin. The scent of blood and burned flesh hung heavily in the air.

"Naruto, forget him. It doesn't matter how we became Mates, just that we are." He manages to say after recovering from his shock.

Naruto pauses in his fury for a moment. That had definitely been Sasuke's voice. He turns his head towards his Mate. That's when he makes a grunt of pain.

Sasuke's eyes widen in horror. Orochimaru had just shoved a sword through his stomach. Oh God! Was that a fatal wound?! Sasuke stood in shock as he watched blood gush from the injury. A lot of blood.

"Naruto!" He calls out as he felt Naruto's shock and pain.

"Now, now. Look what you made me do. I really didn't want it to come to that. Kabuto, make sure to treat his injury. Perhaps he'll feel more reasonable afterward. That or finish the job. Perhaps Naruto has simply become too much of a liability to justify keeping around." Orochimaru says as he removes his sword and licks the bloody blade.

Sasuke felt his eyes bleed red. His body moved on its own. In a flash, he had charged at Orochimaru with a Chidori formed in his hand. He didn't even remember forming it. He just reacted instinctively.

"We made a deal. My body for the power to kill Itachi. That deal never included you having permission to touch HIM." Sasuke snarls as he drives his Chidori straight through Orochimaru's heart.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, he was aware of the sensation of blood spraying all over him. It wasn't enough though. He wanted to make sure that there was no chance that Orochimaru would ever be able to touch his blonde again. He literally tears his heart out.

"What have you done?!" Kabuto screams at him.

"I killed him. He shouldn't have attacked Naruto. Now you are going to tend to Naruto's injuries or you will be next." Sasuke hisses at him.

His snowy white shirt was now crimson red. Stained with Orochimaru's lifeblood. He watches as the Legendary Sannin's body fell lifelessly to the ground.

Sasuke watches in disgust and glances at Naruto. He tilts his head at the blue eyed Jinchuuriki and gestures for him to go with the medic. Sasuke had to make sure that Orochimaru wouldn't come back.

"Naruto, go with him. He'll fix your injuries. I'll deal with the corpse." He tells him.

Surprisingly, the blonde went without arguing. Kabuto stares forlornly at Orochimaru's body. Sasuke smirks. Serves him right. In his mind, the silver haired medic deserved to grieve the loss of his former mentor. The bastard had drugged him after all.

Sasuke quickly disposes of Orochimaru's body. He burns it and collects the ashes into a jar. While he knew that there was value in the Sannin's body, he also didn't want to give him a chance to revive. No matter how slight it was.

"He was obsessed with immorality. There is no telling what he did to ensure that it would be almost impossible for him to die." He mutters as he goes to check on Naruto.

Kabuto eyes Sasuke warily, after he treats Naruto. Orochimaru was dead. There was no telling what either of them were planning. His eyes narrow when he notices the jar filled with ashes that was peeking slightly over Sasuke's ninja pouch.

"You didn't even have the decency to bury him?!" The medic thunders.

"Of course not. I knew him. He might have found a way to come back to life. I wasn't going to take any chances. Tell me Kabuto, do you wish to join him?" Sasuke seethes.

Nartuo blinks. There was something different about Sasuke's Sharingan. It looked different than how it used to be.

"Sasuke, what happened to your eyes?" The blonde asks.

"The Mangekyo Sharingan. I have no idea how you activated that. You didn't kill your best friend. It should have been impossible." The silver haired man states.

Sasuke quickly glances at his reflection in the mirror. It was true. His Sharingan had been altered in physical appearance.

"Naruto, we are going to rest here for a few days. You need time to recover from your wounds and I will see what I can find about the Mangekyo. Then we are leaving." Sasuke informs him.

"Where are we going?" Naruto asks in confusion.

"To find Itachi. It will take me some time to get used to the Mangekyo. I want to do that before we find him. I imagine it's going to take us awhile to track him down. We are going to need a team. As much as I loathe Kabuto, he's coming with us. His medical knowledge will be extremely valuable." The youngest Uchiha replies.

Kabuto looks at Sasuke like he was out of his mind. He was not going with them. He had to escape the two crazy lovers.

"Oh no you aren't. You aren't going anywhere Four Eyes." Naruto says as he knocks Kabuto unconscious.

"Nicely done." Sasuke says with approval.

"Thanks. Let's get you some clean clothes. You know it was kinda hot how you just ripped his heart out because you were angry at him for hurting me, but the bloody shirt is a mood killer." Naruto says cheerfully.

Sasuke shakes his head in amusement. Naruto was probably insane. Then again, so was he. He supposed it didn't matter. They had each other. That was what was most important.

"I'll go check and maybe take a bath. I'm not that fond of being soaked in his blood either." Sasuke admits and he heads off to do exactly that.

Naruto quickly binds Kabuto in some chakra cuffs. He then follows Sasuke. There was no way that he was going to miss out on a bath with his Mate.

* * *

Sasuke sighs in distaste a few minutes later as he throws off his bloody shirt and stores Orochimaru's ashes in a safe place. He was just reaching for his pants, when he saw Naruto approach. He smirks.

"Really? You still want to jump me in the baths, after I just ripped out Orochimaru's heart?" Sasuke asks.

Sasuke was still getting the hang of this Mating Bond thing. As far as he could tell, he could feel what Naruto was feeling. Well as long as it was a strong emotion. He decides to experiment with it later.

Right now, one emotion was coming in loud and clear. His Mate was feeling rather aroused. The raven haired ninja felt himself shiver slightly. Feeling Naruto's desire, just stirred his own.

"Well like I said, it was kinda hot." Naruto says and Sasuke walks over to him.

"You are weird sometimes. Let me help you get in the bath. Are those waterproof bandages?" Sasuke asks as he glances down at Naruto's bandages.

Naruto nods. Yeah. It was pretty much standard procedure in the Sound Village to only use waterproof bandages when given a choice. Kabuto was good with things like that. He might hate Four Eyes, but he was smart.

"Yeah. They are. Don't worry." Naruto says as Sasuke helps him undress and quickly does the same, before getting into the water.

"I guess I should tell you who I'm planning to join our team. First, I'm going to recruit Suigetsu. He has a special ability to turn into water. He's also an expert with swords. He's a sadistic fuck though. Orochimaru was concerned enough to put him in a tank. He's very rebellious." Sasuke begins.

Naruto raises an eyebrow. He wasn't really sure that was a good idea. If Orochimaru was sufficiently wigged out by the guy to lock him up, he might not be the best ally.

"You sure that's a good idea? I mean the water ability is cool, but he sounds kinda nuts." The blonde argues.

"I know, but he's useful. Next is Karin. She's an excellent Sensory Type and biting her can heal you. Obviously, that's useful in any battle situation. She's acting as a warden to one of the Sound Prisons." Sasuke continues.

The former Leaf Villager considers this. Yeah. That was a pretty neat ability. Karin might be okay. He still wasn't too sure about Suigetsu though.

"Alright. So we are just recruiting two other people then?" He asks.

"No. The final one is Jugo. Jugo is one of the inmates at the prison. He can use his chakra to alter his state, he's also extremely physically strong, and can communicate with animals. Unfortunately, his family's bloodline comes at a price. He has two personalities. One of them is a homicidal manic." Sasuke says casually, as if he was discussing a mildly annoying storm instead of a deadly second personality.

The Jinchuuriki frowns. Those were some pretty cool abilities. Still he couldn't help but feel that guy might be an even bigger pain in the ass than Suigetsu.

"Sasuke, two of those people sound like loose cannons. Are you sure?" Naruto asks.

"I'm positive. They can help us. Don't worry. I know what I'm doing." Sasuke informs him and kisses his Mate.

Naruto was vaguely aware that his Mate was just trying to distract him with kisses. Unfortunately, he couldn't' deny that that shit worked. He soon deepens it and pushes Sasuke against the side of the baths.

Sasuke smiles into the kiss and returns it with equal passion. He'd never get tired of this. The fact that he could feel Naruto's enjoyment only added to his own. God help him, when they actually had sex.

"I love you, Sasuke. That's why I want you to be careful. Don't do stupid things that will get you killed for no reason." The blonde chides him.

"I love you too. I still don't know what I'm going to do with Itachi, but I know I have to find him." The dark haired ninja admits.

Naruto sighs. He nips the Mating Mark and smirks when he hears Sasuke moan. Hmm. So that was sensitive. Good to know.

"Wouldn't it be a good idea to decide that before we go chasing after him?" The other man inquires.

"Probably, but we aren't leaving for a few days. You need to heal and I'm going to check out the library. Madara's diary should be very helpful in this instance." Sasuke muses.

Naruto blinks. Orochimaru had Madara's diary?! Actually, back that up. Madara had a diary?!

"What else does he have in his freaky library? Sheesh. It sounds like the guy had everything." He exclaims.

"You are way too innocent to know what else he has in that library. Just leave it at that." Sasuke warns him and begins lathering soap against Naruto's chest.

All that time that Naruto had spent chasing him, he been damn good for his physical condition. Sasuke smiles when he felt the blonde's abs. Those were nice.

"That feels good." Naruto practically purrs with approval.

Sasuke would classify it as a purr. Well almost a purr really. It was more guttural. Honestly, it sounded more like a rumble. A cross between a purr and a growl.

"Good. Thanks for being patient. I'm sorry for what you are likely to feel through our bond though." He apologizes.

"Sasuke, I want to know when you are upset. That way I can help. I know that you feel the same way. It's what Mates do. You don't have to feel guilty about it." The blonde assures him.

The youngest Uchiha smiles. Naruto was probably the only person that he could believe, after saying something like that. He blinks when he notes how fast the blonde was healing.

"Naruto? Is the Nine Tails accelerating the healing process?" He asks.

"Yeah. Kurama does that a lot. He knows that I'm his host. If I die, it isn't a good thing for him." Naruto answers.

Sasuke nods as he considers this. Well that was useful. A little bit unnerving really, but still useful.

* * *

Meanwhile Kabuto fumes. Sasuke and Naruto had killed Orochimaru. Orochimaru who was once a Legendary Sannin. One of the strongest and certainly one of the most intelligent ninjas of their era had been killed by two overgrown children. It was maddening really.

To make matters worse, he was now their prisoner. The silver haired man vows to find a way out of his chakra cuffs and avenge his former mentor. This couldn't be allowed to stand.

"I just have to figure out a way to do it." He mutters.

Sasuke had now activated the Mangekyo Sharingan. That certainly complicated matters. Of course, it wasn't invincible. He could go blind if he overused it. A logical strategy would be to force the youngest Uchiha do to so.

That was easier said than done. He had a very protective Mate and his own impressive abilities. He would find a way to do it though. He had to.

"Perhaps Itachi will assist me in this matter." He muses.

One of the Sound Ninjas walks inside the room and blinks when they saw Kabuto. The medic couldn't for the life of him remember this ninja's name. He was just another goon. Indistinguishable from most of the Sound Villagers.

That didn't matter though. As long as he freed Kabuto, who cared what their name was? He certainly didn't at the moment.

"Help me!" Kabuto calls out.

"Why would I help you? You've experimented on me in the past. Not to mention, I would have a very pissed off Uchiha and demon host after my ass. Nah. You can stay right there." He says with a smirk and looks around the room.

Kabuto fumes. He saw the ninja calmly inspecting the place. Clearly, he was looking for anything that he thought might be useful.

"You will regret this decision!" He growls at him.

"I think not. Tell me, do you even know the names of those that you have experimented on? Do you know mine?" He asks.

The ninja in question was probably around six feet tall. He had long midnight black hair that reached to his shoulders and forest green eyes. The man had a medium build.

"It doesn't matter what your name is. When I get out of this, you are a dead man. I won't bother to bury you. So I don't need your name to place upon your gravestone." The silver haired man snarls.

"It's Sanzara. You should really take more care to learn about those that you are screwing over. I spent several months in agony because of you. It seems the least I can do is ensure that you do the same." He states.

Kabuto eyes Sanzara warily. What was he up to? That's when Sanzara places a seal on him and smirks.

"I think I'll inform the Uchiha that I just placed a seal similar to what the Hyugas use on you. I'm certain that he'll find it useful. If I can gain their favor, that will only bode well for me. Suffer, Kabuto. Suffer." He states as he heads off.

The young medic screams in agony. It was nothing short of torturous. He had never experienced physical pain this intense before.

He knew that he had to stay conscious. God only knows what would happen, if he passed out. There was no telling what Sasuke and Naruto would do to him, if they found him in such a state.

Kabuto bites his lower lip and tastes his own blood when he bit down too hard. The pain was good though. It forced him to focus. He needed to focus desperately at the moment. He couldn't allow himself to pass out.

"Damn him!" He growls under his breath.

How could this have happened? How could Orochimaru, one of the greatest ninjas of all time, die at the hands of two teenagers? It was utterly infuriating.

"I'll find a way to avenge you. I promise." The bespectacled ninja mutters as he tries desperately to stay awake.

It was a losing battle though. The pain was so intense. His brain was forcing a shut down of his body as a defense mechanism. Finally, he passes out completely.

Sanzara smirks. It served him right. Good. Now Kabuto would understand true suffering. As a lovely bonus, he would likely get on the good side of the demon host and Sasuke. He had no doubt that they would likely decide to rule over the Sound.

After all, they could hardly go back to the Leaf Village. What other village was going to accept two Criminal Ninjas? It only stood to reason they would live in the Sound and this way, he had just ensured himself a prominent position during their reign.


	12. Let's Go

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sasuke and Naruto gather their team to search for Itachi.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews. I hope you all enjoy this chapter because Team Taka is about to be introduced.

A few days later, Sasuke had found Madara's diary and had experimented with the Mangekyo Sharingan enough to proceed. He could feel through the bond that Naruto was less than thrilled about his plans. Maybe he should give his Mate some reassurance.

"Naruto, we defeated Orochimaru. If things get of hand, we can handle it." He assures him and kisses his cheek.

"Sasuke, two of these people sound psychotic. Are you sure you want to go through with this?" Naruto asks.

Sasuke nods his head. Soon enough they head to the place where Suigetsu was being held. The other ninja was inside a tank. The youngest Uchiha strides over to the tank and slashes it open with his sword.

Suigetsu falls out of the tank and quickly gets on his feet. He was behind Sasuke in a flash. Speaking of flashing, the white haired man was completely naked and far too close to Naruto's Mate for his liking.

"Who are you and what do you want?" Suigetsu says as he points his fingers to Sasuke's ear as if it was a gun.

Naruto really didn't care for that. His eyes start to bleed red. This guy was pushing his luck.

"I'm Sasuke Uchiha. That's Naruto. You are going to help us track down my brother. That's why I released you." Sasuke says.

The raven haired ninja had no fear. He didn't flinch at the threat. Sasuke had fully briefed Naruto on this guy's abilities. This wasn't just him playing around. He had a Water Gun Technique. If he wanted, he could shoot his Mate, right now.

"And why would I help you two? Oh and if you could tell your boyfriend to quite glaring at me, that'd be good. He's starting to creep me out with that freaky eye thing." The violet eyed man says.

"I killed Orochimaru and freed you. You owe me." The Uchiha insists.

Suigetsu tilts his head to the side as if considering that. Well he did have a point. However, he was free now. The Prodigy in the Art of Murder wasn't going to be someone's lackey that easily.

"We both know that you didn't kill Orochimaru to free me out of the goodness of your heart. You just want my help. So I'll ask you again. One more time, why should I help you? Better answer quick before I blow your brains out." He says.

"You want the Seven Swords, right? Itachi's partner has one of them. Samehada. I know you want it. If you help us, you can have the damn thing." Sasuke reasons.

Hmm. Now that was interesting. Well he didn't give a fuck about Sasuke's brother. If helping the Uchiha kill Itachi meant he'd get Kisame's sword, then he was all for it.

"Alright. I'll help you out, but only as long as I get that sword. The second I get it, I'm gone. You aren't my boss." Suigetsu says.

"Great. Now that that's settled, put some pants on and get your hands off my Mate." Naruto says.

Suigetsu raises an eyebrow. His Mate? Oh so Sasuke was shacking it up with the blonde. Hmm. He didn't see that one coming. He would have figured Sasuke would go for someone quieter (and who was a woman).

"Didn't realize you were into blondes." Suigetsu notes with amusement as he lets go of Sasuke.

"What I'm into isn't any of your business. Here." Sasuke says as he tosses some clothes at his new teammate.

Suigetsu shrugs. It would be fun to fuck with these two, he decides. Naruto was definitely an overprotective boyfriend and Sauske had a stick shoved up his ass. Of course he liked women, but that didn't mean he couldn't pretend otherwise to annoy them.

"That worried that you saw something you liked?" He asks.

"Don't flatter yourself. You're a water chakra affinity. Guess what happens to water when lightning strikes." The raven haired man demands.

Suigetsu blinks. Damn. The Uchiha could be a vicious fucker when he wanted to be. He sighs and throws on the pants and shirt. He'd rather not be prancing around naked in the middle of battle. He wasn't shy about his body, but he didn't want to expose anything vulnerable in the middle of a fight.

"You sure you really want to drag his pervert along with us?" The blonde asks.

"He'll be useful. It's not like we are proposing marriage to the idiot. Come on. We still have to get Karin and Jugo." Sasuke says.

Suigetsu falls over in shock. Was he out of his mind? He wanted to bring Jugo and Karin along? Karin was so bitchy and Jugo was a homicidal maniac half the time. (That was saying something since he quite liked killing himself).

"You don't seriously want to drag Karin along, do you? She's nuts." Suigetsu protests.

"Oh you don't like Karin? Alright. We are definitely going to get her now." Naruto says smugly.

Sasuke shakes his head at his Mate's antics. He gestures for Suigetsu to follow them and they continue on their way.

The youngest Uchiha was feeling rather pleased with himself. They were on their way. They'd find Itachi soon. He still wasn't entirely sure what he would do once he found his brother. He just knew that he needed to do so.

* * *

Elsewhere, Itachi and Kisame had left the hospital. The elder Uchiha was feeling significantly better. Sadly, he knew that this would be a temporary boost at best. Still he would take advantage of it while it lasts.

"Deidara has already been sent out to capture the Kazekage." Kisame informs him.

Itachi raises an eyebrow. That should be quite interesting. Deidara was no threat to him and eccentric, but he wouldn't be part of the Akatsuki if he wasn't a skilled ninja.

"I am almost regret that we won't get to witness that fight. Gaara is the youngest Kage that I have ever heard of. Deidara is arrogant and hot-headed, but it is certain to be an interesting fight." The smoky eyed ninja muses.

Kisame nods in agreement. There were few things that he enjoyed more than a good fight. It was something of a pity they wouldn't see it. Still he was sure that Deidara would be able to subdue the Kazekage in the end.

"I'm glad to hear you talk like that. It means that you're feeling like your old feisty self." The other Akatsuki says cheerfully.

"I was feisty?" Itachi inquires in amusement.

"Well in your own unique way. You are really good at delivering one liners. It wouldn't kill you to smile more though." Kisame says as he places his hand on the small of Itachi's back and they continue their journey towards the Sand Village.

His purpose was twofold really. The first was to have Itachi's back in case he relapsed. The second was to indicate his interest.

It was a mark of how ill Itachi really was that he didn't protest. In general, the eldest Uchiha didn't seem to enjoy being touched much. He didn't trust much of anyone really. (This wasn't uncommon for Akatsuki members, but Itachi took it to a new level.)

"I think you are imagining things. How much further do we have to go until we arrive?" Itachi asks.

"I'd say half a day at this pace. We could get there in a couple hours, if you were willing to go faster. But I'd rather not risk it." He states.

Itachi shakes his head. He still couldn't for the life of him understand why Kisame cared so much. He knew that the other man was attracted to him. It was quite possibly that he might even love him. Itachi just didn't understand why. He doubted even Kisame really knew.

"And yet you think that I am well enough to perform the extraction?" Itachi inquires.

"Your chakra is perfectly intact. It's your body that is failing you." Kisame reasons.

Itachi couldn't argue with that. He allows Kisame to help him continue the trek towards the Sand. One of the advantages of the long walk was that he had ample time to think about everything.

Would Sasuke forgive him? He honestly didn't know the answer to that question. Itachi didn't think that he deserved forgiveness. He had made his choice. It had killed him to do it, but he had still gone through with it.

"Itachi, you're brooding." His partner says.

"Kisame, kindly do not try to read my mind." Itachi replies.

He felt horrible guilt about it. That didn't change the fact that he had done it though. Sasuke had every right to want him dead. That is certainly what Itachi would have preferred.

If he was allowed to live, he didn't know what he would do. If the truth came to light in the Leaf Village, it was still doubtful they would reinstate him. Being a ninja was all he knew how to do. Any village that took him in, would be risking the Leaf's ire.

"Well I don't have to read your mind. It's pretty obvious what you are doing by the look on your face. After we deal with Gaara, I think we should try to find your kid brother. At least that way, you will know what his reaction is. You won't have to wonder. I think it's the waiting that would drive anyone crazy." Kisame reasons.

"You are right about that much." Itachi says with a small smile.

That would put thousands of lives at risk. Challenging the Leaf in such a way, would be foolish. Still there might be a village that would take him in. They'd take him in for his bloodline alone.

A remote village might be best. Perhaps the Waterfall Village. Even better, he could go to the Land of Iron. The Samurai were rather isolated. They generally ignored the affairs of the ninja world. It was unlikely they would know about the Uchiha Massacre. He might be able to get a fresh start there.

"Yeah. I am. Your life would be a lot easier, if you accepted the fact that I'm right from the beginning." Kisame says smugly.

Itachi didn't know why. There was just something rather endearing about his smug tone. Before he could think through the potential consequences of his actions, he pressed his lips against Kisame's.

"I suppose there is something to be said for animal instinct." He muses and Kisame nods his head in agreement before returning the kiss.

* * *

Back with Sasuke, Naruto, and Suigetsu, the youngest Uchiha decides it would be a good idea to drag Kabuto with them. He might not like Kabuto, but no one could deny the fact that he was a damn skilled medic. There was a reason why Orochimaru had kept him around so long.

"You guys are vicious. You put a Seal on him?" Suigetsu asks when they found Kabuto bound and Sealed in the room where they had left him.

Naruto blinks. They hadn't Sealed Kabuto like that. Hell, he had no idea how to perform a Jutsu like that. He doubted even Sasuke did. He recognized the technique though. That looked eerie similar to what the Hyuga Clan used against their Branch Members.

"Actually, that wasn't them. That was me. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Sanzara." A man says as he comes out of the shadows.

The blonde could sense his Mate's suspicion. He couldn't hear the exact thoughts going through Sasuke's mind, but he was tense. Really tense.

"And you performed that Seal on Kabuto, I take it? Why?" Sasuke demands.

"Oh I have no love for Kabuto. He experimented on me. If he got out, he would have plotted against the two of you. Well I suppose I should say the three of you now." He says as he glances at Suigetsu.

"I'm just along for the ride. I want the payday. That's all." The white haired man explains.

Sasuke tries to hide a snort of amusement. Naruto was definitely irritated by Suigetsu. He could practically picture the blonde rolling his beautiful blue eyes at the other man's antics.

"If you just wanted revenge on Kabuto, you could have killed him instead of Sealing him. You never had to tell us what you did. The fact that you have, means you want something." Sasuke states.

Sanzara smirks. He could see why Orochimaru had favored this one. He was smart. Unfortunately for Orochimaru, he had favored Sasuke too much and it had led to his end. Not that he was particularly said to see the Sannin go, but he knew to tread carefully.

"You're right. I do want something. I assume after your brother is dead, you will need a place to stay. Most likely, you will return to the Sound. Who else would take you in? And naturally, given your already formidable power, you will easily be able to take control of this village. I simply want a place in it. I want my security and comfort assured." He says.

Sasuke could feel Naruto's surprise. Quite honestly, he shared it. Whatever he had been expecting, that wasn't it.

"We'll need to talk about this first. For now, we are leaving. We are taking Kabuto with us because his skills as a medic are too useful not to take him." Naruto surprises his Mate by saying.

The youngest Uchiha nods his head in agreement though. That had been their plan. What they would do after they dealt with Itachi, he wasn't certain. But he knew that they had to find his brother.

"Is that agreeable?" He asks.

"That is more than acceptable for now. I shall make certain that everything functions smoothly in your absence." Sanzara informs him.

"Good. Naruto and Suigetsu, let's get going." Sasuke says as he walks out of the Sound Village with them.

Kabuto was unconscious. Suigetsu had found a stretcher and was carrying the other man behind him. Sasuke was smug at this. Suigetsu was already proving useful.

"So is that true, what he said back there? Are you two really planning to take over the Sound?" The white haired man asks.

"We might." Sasuke answers cryptically as he walks next to Naruto and places his hand over the other man's hip, in a half embrace as they walked.

He knew that Naruto wasn't particularly happy about Suigetsu's presence. Sasuke would be damned if his Mating was ruined over something that trivial. The idea of wanting anyone besides Naruto was utterly foreign to him. Still it looked like his almost lover needed some reassurance and he was more than happy to provide it to him.

Naruto smiles as they continue walking. He kisses Sasuke's cheek and laces his fingers with Sasuke's. The raven haired Uchiha surprisingly tolerates the hand holding.

"I love you too, bastard." He whispers.

"I love you too, idiot. You really are an idiot if you think that I would want anyone else." Sasuke assures him.

"You two realize that I'm still here, right? It's kinda creepy that you're talking about me, like I can't hear everything that you are saying." Suigetsu protests.

Sasuke shrugs. Suigetsu was going to help them find Itachi. As long as Suigetsu didn't betray them and was healthy enough to fight, he really didn't care all that much what happened to the other guy.

"Yes, we realize it. We just don't care that much." Sasuke snaps at him.

"Sheesh. You are glacial. I guess you must be really good in the sack or something, for Naruto to put up with that charming personality of yours." Suigetsu says casually.

Oh THAT was it. Sasuke turns around. He immediately charges up a Chidori and Suigetsu takes more than a few steps back.

"My relationship with Naruto is really none of your business. At the moment, you are more useful alive than dead. If you keep testing me though, I might reevaluate that in a way that won't end well for you." Sasuke warns him.

**_"If he makes one more crack about our Mate like that, I suggest you gut him like a fish."_** Kurama says.

**"Oh believe me, it's really fucking tempting. I don't know why Sasuke hasn't already. He must really want to find Itachi, if he's desperate enough to keep a pervert like that around."** Naruto grumbles.

**_"Speaking of that, when are you going to fully Claim our Mate?"_** He asks.

Naruto pauses. That was a damn good question. They had gotten kinda close a couple times, but something always came up. Now that Kurama had shown him how to do it, he was eager to give it a go. It was just a matter of timing.

**"Soon. Hopefully. I think he wants to as much as we do. The timing just hasn't lined up yet. That's all."** The blonde answers.

* * *

The strange trio travel for hours, with Suigetsu dragging Kabuto behind them. The sword lover was beginning to whine quite a bit about having to carry the "trash." The Mates mostly ignored him though.

"We're here. Orochimaru's prison. We should be able to find Karin and Jugo easily now." Sasuke says as they walk inside.

"So what's this Karin look like anyway?" Naruto asks.

"It should be easy to identify her. She's a red head and she'll be the only one not inside a cell." His Mate answers.

Naruto nods. The three of them continue down the hallway. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees a flash of red and pink or was that purple? Hmm. He wasn't really sure.

"I think I found her. I'll be right back." Naruto says.

"Naruto, let me handle this one. You can watch Suigetsu." Sasuke says as he heads off to talk to Karin.

"I resent that. I don't need babysat!" The violet eyed ninja protests.

Naruto really does roll his eyes at that one. Yes, he did need babysat. The guy had been prepared to shoot Sasuke , after the youngest Uchiha had rescued him from that damn tank. If anyone needed to be watched, it was his.

* * *

Meanwhile Sasuke catches up with Karin. Fortunately, she was going down a hallway that only had one exit. She wasn't going to get out of there, without having to face him.

"Karin, there's a lot that we have to discuss. I'm Sasuke. Naruto and I are putting together a team to find my brother. It's your choice if you want to help us or if you would prefer to just rot in this prison as you have been doing. You're free to do as you like though." He states simply.

The red head blinks. He couldn't be serious, could he? She glances at his eyes and blinks. He was serious. Dead serious.

"How did you manage to kill him?! The man was practically immortal." She exclaims.

"It's a very long story. Come with me. I'll introduce you to the others. Though according to Suigetsu, you already know him." The raven haired ninja says.

Karin scowls. Suigetsu?! She hated that guy. Then again, this guy was really hot and he had amazing chakra. Maybe she could just ignore the jerk.

"Alright" She says with a sigh and walks with Sasuke back to the ground.

"Are you sure you want to take her with us? Like I said, she's practically a banshee. She's going to get really annoying." The sword lover reminds Sasuke.

Karin twitches. Sasuke and Naruto watch as the two of them start tearing into each other. Sasuke blinks. It was definitely true what they said about red heads. They were a feisty lot.

"If you two children are done playing around, we still have one more person to get. Jugo." He says simply.

"Are you sure about that? He's not safe. Most of the time, he's fine. But he can black out at random and goes into vicious rages. He's very dangerous." Karin warns him.

Sasuke nods. Oh he was aware of that. It just wasn't going to stop him. That was one of the reasons why he chose him actually. Itachi might not know how to handle a beserker.

"I know. Take us to him. He's coming with us. We can keep him under control." Sasuke assures her.

"You know, you don't have to take these people with us. I'm sure that the two of us could handle it all by ourselves. We don't need them." Karin says in a flirtatious voice.

Sasuke was almost barreled over by the wave of jealousy he felt from his Mate. Damn it. Karin really didn't know how close to death she was.

"We are taking everyone. I composed this team up of useful ninjas. Whatever issues you have with them, I don't care about. You can come with us or stay behind, but I am going to speak with Jugo now." Sasuke says as he heads off to find Jugo's cell.

"Wait! Hold on! He's really dangerous!" Karin says as she chases after Sasuke.

Naruto was pleased when Sasuke blew the red head off. Not that he really thought that Sasuke would express an interest in a woman for the first time in his life, but it was still good to see him just dismiss her.

"Alright, pervert. You heard them. Let's go." Naruto says as he follows Sasuke and Karin off.

"Pft. Please. As if I'm the pervert here. I saw the way you two look at each other. I'm surprised either of you can still walk." He mutters in annoyance as he follows them.

It really irritating. He had to drag Kabuto's unconscious ass everywhere. Four Eyes had better be useful soon. Otherwise, Suigetsu was going to get really pissed off.

"You're Jugo, right?" Sasuke asks once they get to a cell with a very large orange haired man inside it.

"Yes, who are you?" He asks.

"I'm Sasuke Uchiha. I assume you already know Karin and Suigetsu. The blonde is Naruto. Orochimaru is dead. If you like, you can come with us. We are going to be tracking down my brother. What you do after we find him, is your own business." He explains.

Jugo shakes his head. No, that wasn't a good idea. If he was let out, he might fly into a rage. Innocent people could get hurt. It was better for him to stay here, where he couldn't hurt anyone.

"I don't think you understand. Sometimes I black out. Bad things happen." The other ninja replies.

"Oh I'm fully aware of that. I think that we can handle it." Sasuke says as he gestures for Karin to open the cell.

Karin does so with great reluctance. Naruto didn't need a Mating bond with her to feel how anxious she was about releasing Jugo. She was actually scared to death.

"Suigetsu, do what you do best." Naruto says.

"What's that?" The white haired man asks in confusion, not sure what the dumb blonde was getting at.

"Provoke him. We need to prove to Jugo that we can handle him at his worst." The blue eyed ninja answers.

Suigetsu shrugs. He swings his sword at Jugo. It didn't take long for Jugo to black out. He was soon forming an axe made out of chakra and on a murderous rampage.

Sasuke steps between them. His Sharingan was activated. That was all it took to settle Jugo down. Suigetsu couldn't entirely blame the big guy. Sasuke's eyes were pretty freaky looking.

"There. See? We can control it. What do you say?" Sasuke says.

"I'll go with you. You shall be my cage. If I lose control, you can keep me from hurting innocent people." Jugo says and Sasuke nods in agreement.

Naruto glances at the team Sasuke had assembled. He still wasn't sure how this was ever going to work. But at the moment, he was just happy that he and Sasuke were in one piece. They were Mates now and they were going to find Itachi. That was the most important thing.

"Alright. Let's go then." Sasuke says and the new team quickly leaves the prison and embarks on their search for Itachi Uchiha.


	13. A Happy Insanity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Love is a form of a happy insanity as our favorite couples are about to find out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews. I hope that you all enjoy this chapter.

Team Taka had been traveling for about a week. In that week, there was some good and some bad news. The bad news was that they still had no idea where Itachi was. The good news is that they had come upon a village and an inn where they could stay the night.

"Finally, we can actually sleep somewhere that isn't a forest." Suigetsu sighs in relief.

Naturally, they had all been rather eager to actually sleep in a bed. The strange procession of ninjas quickly checked into the Inn. Naruto and Sasuke were going to share a room and everyone else got their own.

"Sasuke are you sure that you don't want to share a room with me?" Karin asks.

"Karin, if I wanted to share a room with you, I would have said so." Sasuke replies.

All of Team Taka was delighted by this arrangement, except for Karin. The red head had wanted Sasuke to share a room with her. She quickly gave up her attempts to convince him to be her roommate, when she saw Naruto's vicious glares directed her way. She liked Sasuke, but she wasn't suicidal enough to go up against someone with such malicious chakra.

"Okay! Um I'm gonna go to my room now! Cya later!" She squeaks and quickly heads off to avoid getting killed by Naruto.

Sasuke shakes his head in amusement. The Mates quickly head to their room and lock the door behind them. At long last, they would finally be able to enjoy some privacy.

"I can't believe that you are jealous of her. You can feel through our bond that I'm not interested in Karin. Naruto, I don't even like women!" Sasuke says once they were alone.

"I know you aren't, but she keeps flirting with you. It drives me crazy." Naruto growls.

Sasuke shakes his head. It was touching that Naruto got jealous so easily. It meant that he cared. Still he wasn't going to allow the blonde to kill off such a useful teammate. She might be annoying, but her powers were prove critical to the success of their mission.

"You know that you are the only one that I want. Just ignore it." Sasuke states.

"Yeah. I know. It's still really annoying though. If she doesn't knock it off, I'm going to kick her ass." Naruto warns Sasuke.

The youngest Uchiha shakes his head and walks over to Naruto. He was pretty sure he had a good idea what this was REALLY about. It wasn't Naruto's fault that he had a fox demon inside him and animal instincts were messing with his head.

"I wouldn't mind you kicking her ass, but we need her. So just let it go. It's just a stupid crush. It'll go away. Besides, I don't want to think about anything else, but me and you." Sasuke informs him and he kisses Naruto's forehead.

Sasuke could tell that Naruto really liked the sound of that. He was almost shaken by how quickly the blonde's emotions shifted. His Mate went from irritated to aroused at an almost dizzying speed.

"Good idea." Naruto says as he pushes Sasuke onto the bed.

"Mhm. That's why I'm the smart one in this relationship." The other ninja informs him.

"You can be such a cocky bastard sometimes, but you're my cocky bastard." The teenager says as he lightly bites down on Sasuke's Mating Mark.

Sasuke moans. Shit! That always felt so good. The blonde was definitely fighting dirty.

In some distant logical part of his mind, he reasons that it made sense. Creating Mating Marks that were painful to touch would hamper the whole reproduction thing. Demons wanted to ensure the survival of their species as much as anyone else did. Apparently, this was still an effective adaptation when the two Mates were male.

"Always." Sasuke whispers and Naruto smiles.

Sasuke would never admit it out loud, but that smile made his heart skip a beat. It was amazing really. It only took one word to make Naruto smile as if he had just personally given him the world.

**Warning Lemon**

"And forever." Naruto agrees as he proceeds to start undressing his Mate.

"That's a little redundant, but yeah." Sasuke says with a smile.

Naruto smiles when he felt Sasuke begin to return the favor. Soon enough their clothes were laying in a rather messy pile on the floor. If the bond didn't tell the blonde that Sasuke was into him, the fact that he was already half aroused would have.

"I'm sorry." Naruto says as he rushes at Sasuke and pins him to the bed, quickly capturing his mouth in a heated kiss.

Sasuke was only all too happy to return Naruto's passion. He felt himself moan into the kiss as he threads his fingers through his Mate's golden locks. If there was one thing that Naruto was really good at, it was definitely kissing.

Much like fighting and everything else, Naruto put his heart and soul into it. He was really a force of nature with the way his mouth and tongue tried to utterly consume him. Their kisses were far from gentle, but they were honest. The underlying message was always clear, **_"I need you."_**

"What are you apologizing for?" Sasuke murmurs after breaking the kiss.

"For not noticing earlier that what we have is more than friendship." The blonde whispers.

"That's alright. I'm sorry for trying to kill you." Sasuke replies with a smirk.

Naruto just shakes his head at his Mate's sassy mouth. He quickly covers Sasuke's chest in kisses, licks, and love bites in "retaliation" He smirks when he hears Sasuke sigh in pleasure and feels his Mate glide his hands over his back.

"Doesn't matter. You didn't do it and we both know why. It wasn't just a whim." He says and rumbles in contentment when he felt the sensual massage.

"I'm not going to deny that." Sasuke says as he flips them.

Naruto was going to protest this move, but he really liked the view. He'd never really been much of an expert when it came to art, but Sasuke's body was definitely a work of art. The stunning contrast between the ivory skin and the raven black hair, the lithe muscles, and those ruby red eyes.

"You know, I've never really noticed before, but you have a really beautiful eyelashes." He muses.

"You are such a loser, sometimes." Sasuke snorts in amusement as lightly bites down on Naruto's Mating Mark before leaving a trail of kisses along his stomach and slowly making his way further south.

The blonde was going to protest that label, but he had a pretty good idea what Sasuke was planning to do. Yeah. This was one time, he wasn't going to argue.

Sasuke smirks at Naruto's "submission." No man was ever going to refuse oral sex. The blonde was no exception, he notes as he takes the tip into his mouth.

"Fuck! That feels so good." Naruto growls and barely resists the impulse to fuck Sasuke's throat raw.

The youngest Uchiha decides he likes that reaction and lavishes the sensitive flesh with his warm, rough tongue. Naruto definitely liked being licked, he notes. He liked being sucked and nipped even more though.

The raven haired ninja was able to tell his lover's preferences in this regard, by the sounds he made. He treasured every gasp, groan, moan, and growl. Yes, Naruto actually **_growled_** if your mouth was wrapped around his cock in just the right way, Sasuke discovered.

"Don't stop! I swear I'll fucking kill you, if you stop." Naruto warns him.

Sasuke smirks and sucks harder. He makes sure to graze his teeth teasingly against his Mate's erection in a dangerous tease. Death threats were apparently also a good sign.

Naruto groans. Shit! Sasuke's mouth should have a shrine. God, that felt good. He was so fucking close!

His almost lover seems to sense this because he takes more of the blonde into his mouth. Sasuke begins to suck harder and lick faster. It didn't take long to send Naruto over the edge. Sasuke, barely had time to release him from his mouth before the Jinchuuriki came hard.

"You've really been holding out on me." Naruto pants.

"Maybe a little." Sasuke says with a cocky smirk.

**"Kurama, you had better not have been watching that."** Naruto warns the fox demon.

**_"I wasn't. Though considering how satisfied you feel, I assume that things are going well. Personally, I would pin him against the wall. Back facing you. Tease his Mating Mark and arousal. Be lavish with praise. Submissives do enjoy that a great deal. Though he has to be the most dominant Submissive that I have ever met."_** Kurama observes.

That actually wasn't a bad idea. Naruto wasn't going to tell the demon that though. He quickly shuts the link to ensure some privacy. Like Hell was he going to let Kyuubi get his rocks off to his and Sasuke's first time **_together._**

"Well now it's your turn." Naruto says as he quickly shoves Sasuke against the wall.

"I'm trembling with…excitement." Sasuke taunts him and then moans when he felt Naruto kiss his Mark.

Naruto smirks. It was nice to hear Sasuke moan for him like that. He always liked to pretend to be so above it all. That was probably why even as a child, he had wanted to get a reaction out of Sasuke more than anyone.

"Good. You should be." He replies as he licks the Mark teasingly and strokes his Mate's impressive erection in his hand.

Sasuke groans. That felt _**good**_. Just licking the Mark caused all the blood to rush south, really fast. Then Naruto had to go and start playing with his cock.

"Nhh. Naruto that's not fair." He murmurs lustfully.

"Don't worry about fair. Just worry about what feels good." Naruto says as he lightly bites Sasuke's shoulder and strokes him faster.

Sasuke moans and bucks into his head. He didn't know who was more turned on. Him or Naruto.

The Mating Bond made everything so intense. Not only could he feel his own pleasure, he could feel Naruto's. That meant everything felt twice as good as it should have.

"If you keep that up, I'm going to cum on you, instead of inside you." Sasuke warns.

"You can get off anytime you want, but I'm the Dominant Mate. If it makes you feel better though, Kurama says you are the most dominant Submissive that he's ever met." Naruto says as he showers Sasuke's back with kisses and continues teasing him.

"Excuse me?" Sasuke growls at Naruto.

Naruto shakes his head. He knew that his Mate was going to be difficult. He wasn't going to accept the fact that he was the Submissive one easily. So he'd need to distract him.

With that in mind, he moves down just far enough that he takes the tip of Sasuke's erection into his mouth. He gives it a couple quick licks and sucks. Sasuke moans and bucks lightly against his mouth, before Naruto releases him.

"Just let me make you feel as good as you made me feel." Naruto whispers hotly into his ear.

Sasuke felt himself shiver. There was something different about Naruto's tone of voice. It was one of absolute authority and pure seduction. He couldn't see it, but both of their eyes were now glowing.

"Well if you want to go back to sucking me off, I'm not going to argue." He says.

"Oh I'll definitely do that later. I promise, but that's not what I had in mind." Naruto says and he goes quiet for about thirty seconds.

Naruto was behind Sasuke. So the youngest Uchiha couldn't see what the other man was doing. He didn't know that the blonde was currently sucking hard on his fingers, coating them with saliva.

"Naruto?" He asks a little nervously.

It really wasn't like his Mate to be quiet. Sasuke was getting more than little spooked at this development. He knew that the blonde hadn't left though. He could feel the warmth of his Mate's body just behind him.

"Relax. Don't tense up. It might hurt at first, but I promise that it will feel really good soon." Naruto instructs him as he slowly slides a single digit inside Sasuke.

"Naruto!" Sasuke growls warningly when he felt the blonde sneak attack him.

"Sasuke, you made me feel good. I want to make love to my Mate. I'll stop if you really want me to, but I don't think you want me to." He says as he licks the Mark again.

Sasuke moans. He was NOT submissive, but maybe this one time it was alright. Naruto was just being well Naruto. Besides, it felt good when he touched his arousal or played with the Mating Mark. The actual penetration felt a bit uncomfortable at the moment, but that was to be expected.

"Alright. Just this once." Sasuke relents and he shivers when he felt how HAPPY that made Naruto.

His happiness was contagious. It was almost impossible not to feel happy, when he could feel his Mate's pleasure. It was almost like Naruto really thought that Sasuke had given him the world or something.

"I love you." Naruto whispers into his ear as he goes back to preparing his lover and lavishing Sasuke's back with kisses to distract him.

Sasuke arches back against him. It still felt odd, but he could feel Naruto's arousal and concern for him. He didn't want to accidentally hurt him. So he could tolerate the intrusion for now.

It was the oddest sensation. It was almost like his mind now had two halves. The logical side and some new side, that he couldn't identify. This new side was giddy that his Mate was so pleased with him.

"You're tight!" Naruto murmurs approvingly as he slides a second finger inside him and continues with his administrations while he glides his other hand over Sasuke's abs.

"I love you too, but I'm not made of glass. If you want to pretend to be the Dominant Mate, you should act like it." Sasuke taunts him.

In reality, he mostly did it because he was afraid that he was going to lose his nerve. He had consented to submitting this one time. Sasuke didn't want to go back on his word and seem like a liar.

"You probably shouldn't have said that." Naruto purrs dangerously at his Mate as he buries himself inside Sasuke in one swift thrust.

"Naruto!" Sasuke half moans and half growls.

Naruto almost came then and there. Shit! Sasuke was hot and tight. If he had thought that his lover's mouth felt good, that was nothing compared to this!

"That's exactly what we're doing. You feel so fucking good." Naruto praises as he kisses Sasuke's neck and slams inside his Mate.

He wanted to be gentler. Naruto just couldn't be. Sasuke felt too good. He was grateful when he heard Sasuke moan and felt his pleasure after a few strokes. He had found his spot.

Sasuke writhes against his blonde. He'd never felt so full before. Whenever the blonde hit that spot, he couldn't help but moan. It almost felt like he was flying.

"So good!" Sasuke moans as he was slammed against the wall by his rather enthusiastic lover.

Naruto might have been very careful to prepare him, but he didn't make love like a romantic. He fucked like a wild animal. Whether that was Nine Tail's influence or the blonde's natural preference, Sasuke wasn't entirely sure. He just knew it felt really good.

The of his body brushing up against the wall every time Naruto slide in and out of him was intoxicating. Sasuke doubted that anyone had ever wanted someone else, the way that his lover wanted him. It was so intense. He felt almost overwhelmed and yet cocooned by the warmth of his lover at the same time.

"So fucking good. **_My_** perfect Mate." Naruto practically snarls in pleasure as the two of them moved as one.

It was fucking amazing. He and Sasuke was like one person now. It was hard to tell where one person's feelings began and the other's ended. He could finally feel everything that the other man could. There were more secrets.

That and there was something really beautiful about seeing that ivory pale skin slammed into a wall and his own tanned hands able to caress and grab whatever part of Sasuke currently attracted his attention.

"Naruto! R-Right there!" Sasuke manages to stammer out as he moans wantonly.

"Right here?" He asks as he thrusts against that spot that seemed to drive his lover crazy.

"YES!" He pants out in confirmation and Naruto smirks as he really tested out the strength of those walls while he continued thoroughly Claiming his Mate.

It didn't take long for Naruto to howl in euphoria as he spilled his release deep inside his new lover. Sasuke joined him almost simultaneously and the blonde slowly slides out of him. Then he quickly scoops up his Mate and carries him to the bed. Once he catches his breath ever so slightly, he lays Sasuke on it and soon joins him.

**End of Lemon**

Naruto wraps his arms around Sasuke after they finish claiming each other and smiles. He was surprised, though happy when the raven haired ninja engages in a little cuddling. Of course, he knew better than to call it cuddling to Sasuke's face. That would probably revoke all of his cuddling privileges forever.

"We really should have done that sooner." Naruto pants out.

"Yeah. We should have. Next time though, I top." Sasuke says smugly.

**_"He really does like to challenge your authority as the Dominant Mate. I could perhaps see occasionally indulging him. Mostly for good behavior, but you have to be firm with him in the beginning or else he is going to walk all over you."_** Kurama warns him.

**"Kurama! We are kinda having a moment here!"** Naruto yells at him.

The Nine Tails laughs. He quickly retreats back to his cage. It was fun to taunt his host, but even he had his boundaries.

"I'll think about it. I mean we are going to be together for the rest of our lives. Some variety is good, but that's not exactly the way the Mating Bond works." Naruto says.

"So that's what I was feeling when we were together. It was the Bond. Naruto, it was like this foreign presence in my head." Sasuke confesses.

"Wait what?!" Naruto asks.

**"Kurama, get your furry ass back here. I want to make sure Sasuke is okay. Do you know anything about this?!"** He roars at the demon.

**_"It's just his Mating Instincts. You have them as well. Generally, the Submissives develop them on a conscious level before the Dominants. Your instincts are likely more subconscious at this point. Tell him just to embrace them. He'll be happier in the long run. Eventually, they will merge with the rest of his mind and it will all seem second nature to him and to you."_** The Nine Tails replies.

Naruto blinks as he processes that. He wasn't really sure how Sasuke was going to react to that piece of advice. Still it was nice to know that his Mate was okay.

"Kurama says that's just your Mating Instincts. Overtime, they are going to feel more natural. He says it's easier just to embrace them. Mine are more subconscious now, but yours are developing a bit sooner. He says that's normal though." The blonde says.

"Because I'm the _Submissive_?" Sasuke demands.

Uh oh. Naruto knew that he was now entering dangerous territory. He quickly kisses the Mating Mark and decides distraction was the best tactic to use at the moment.

"Yeah, but who cares? I mean if it feels good, who cares about the label?" The blue eyed ninja asks.

"Well it did feel good." Sasuke mutters and Naruto smiles as he claims his Mate's lips in a heated kiss to further distract him.

Sasuke clearly was going to need more time to get used to being the Submissive Mate. That was okay though. As long as they were together, Naruto knew that they could handle anything.

* * *

Meanwhile Kisame couldn't believe what just happened. Itachi had just kissed him. Granted, it was a fairly chaste kiss, but this was Itachi. By his standards, he might as well have just groped him.

He was the very definition of a quiet prim and proper dignity. Well as prim and proper as you could get when you were a member of an organization composed of S Class Criminal Ninjas. Itachi was just complex like that.

"That's what I've been telling you since forever. Animal instincts are there for a reason." He says with a shark toothed grin.

"You do realize that any relationship you pursue with me, is doomed to failure. I have a terminal illness and a brother who likely still wants to kill me. You are really setting yourself up for heartbreak. If I were you, I would do the smart thing and not get too attached." Itachi warns him.

Yeah the gorgeous ninja had a point. If he was smart, he wouldn't continue on. Itachi was living on borrowed time because he was still insisting on being a martyr. (Which pissed Kisame off on principle, but it was what it was.)

"Good thing that I'm not you then. I never claimed to be the brains of this team. You know you don't have to die. Even if he doesn't forgive you, you still don't have to let him kill you. Look how much better you are doing after just one real treatment." Kisame points out as he caresses the other man's cheek.

He was surprised that Itachi was letting him get away with that affectionate gesture. Kisame wasn't entirely certain if it was out of pity, affectionate, or the eldest Uchiha was just too weak to protest a minor "infraction." At the moment though, he didn't care.

There was a chance that maybe he could get the other ninja to see reason. Kisame wasn't a complete idiot. He knew that the odds were slim, but he had to try anyway.

"That's true, but even you can't possibly think that I don't deserve some form of punishment. I might not have wanted to do it, but I did murder almost an entire Clan. I'd do it again, if I had to." He admits.

"You did it because you wanted to prevent a war. You did the wrong thing, for the right reasons. I'm sure that the brat will see that. You really need to learn how to forgive yourself." Kisame says.

Itachi snorts in amusement. He did admire Kisame's rather simplistic version of the world. Well truthfully, he envied it. He knew the truth though. Some things were unforgivable and he had most certainly done one of them.

"People aren't sharks, Kisame. Killing your family isn't an instinct. It's unforgivable. I wish that Sasuke didn't know the truth. That would make things much easier on him." He mutters.

"You mean it would make things easier on you. I think that you feel guilty. You just don't want to live with the guilt anymore. So you are hoping that Sasuke manages to kill you. That's the coward's way out, Itachi. You're a lot of things, but a coward isn't one of them." Kisame chides him.

Itachi frowns. He hated to admit it, but that was one time that Kisame was absolutely right. He did feel guilty.

If the elder Uchiha was being completely honest with himself, he just wanted it all to end. He'd welcome oblivion or whatever punishment the afterlife saw fit to bestow upon him. He deserved it.

"You're right." Itachi admits.

"It's not you who should feel guilty. It's the fucking Hokages who were either oblivious about what was really going on or they didn't do a damn thing to stop it. It was all preventable. Well them and that creep Danzo. Let's not forget the precious Council either." Kisame says.

"Perhaps, but in a way it doesn't matter who is to blame. It won't bring back the dead." The smoky eyed ninja says.

Kisame says. Oh yeah. It was going to take awhile to reason with Itachi. That was alright though. His treatment had bought them some time.

"It won't bring them back, but it will allow you to move onto chapter two." He reasons.

"Chapter two?" Itachi asks with an eyebrow.

"Yeah. Think of all the bad and fucked up shit that happened to your family and you as chapter one. Chapter two can be much better." The other criminal says.

"Kisame, you are insane. Though it does appear to be a happy insanity at least. I wish that I shared whatever affliction that you suffer from" Itachi muses.

The shark toothed ninja shakes his head. One way or another, he was going to get through to Itachi. Itachi had already kissed him. So anything was possible really.

"You can. If you decide to. This is all your choice. Whether you live or die, is up to you. But if you decide to live, I can give you something to live for." Kisame says as they walk off.


	14. The Perfect Punishment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Uchiha brothers finally have a heart to heart and Sasuke comes up with a brilliant, though twisted idea.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews. I hope you all enjoy this chapter.
> 
> Chapter Warning: Warning Sasuke's solution to the 'Itachi Dilemma' is highly disturbing. Therefore, we have to employ 'Sasuke Logic.' (Beware, Sasuke's head is a very strange place sometimes).

A few days later, as they were traveling word of what happened to the Kazekage had spread throughout the Five Nations. Gaara had been kidnapped and the demon had been abstracted from him. He had died, but a rescue mission revived him.

"That means that they have to be fairly close to the Sand. They'll be trying to escape fast though. We have to hurry." Sasuke says.

"Damn. You move pretty fast for a guy that got banged by a demon." Suigetsu observes.

Karin gulps. Uh oh. That was the wrong thing to say. She was attracted to Sasuke, but she wasn't deaf. Naruto and Sasuke hadn't bothered to keep quiet while they consummated their marriage, so to speak.

The red head didn't fully understand the details of how Demonic Matings worked, but she got the general point. Naruto and Sasuke were married. That or something close to it. The youngest Uchiha was firmly off limits.

"Suigetsu, are you trying to get killed?" Karin asks.

"You are such an idiot! If you don't shut up, you will regret it. Don't think for one minute that I won't start slicing off body parts, until you learn your lesson." Sasuke growls warningly at the sword lover.

The violet eyed man gulps. Shit! He had only been teasing. He didn't know why the raven haired ninja was being so sensitive. Usually, it was Naruto who threw the bitch fits when Suigetsu commented on their relationship.

"Why wait? He deserves it. Get him, Sasuke!" Naruto encourages his Mate.

Jugo shakes his head in amusement as he drags Kabuto behind him on a stretcher. This was getting to be a pattern. Sometimes the large man wondered if Suigetsu was a Masochist or something. He did seem to greatly enjoy provoking the couple. Suigetsu just had a habit of biting off more than he could chew.

"Sasuke, we should be going. You're right. They have to be fairly close to the Sand Village, but they won't stay that way for long. If you want to find Itachi, we have to get moving." Jugo points out.

"You're right. Suigetsu, I suggest you don't make anymore cracks like that again. Otherwise, I'm going to electrocute your dick off. Got it?" The raven haired ninja snaps at him.

Suigetsu blinks. Holy shit. At that moment, the white haired man didn't doubt for one moment that Sasuke was serious. He would do it.

"You alright?" Naruto asks as he strides over to Sasuke.

He could sense his Mate's fury. Clearly, Sasuke was still a little sensitive about being the Submissive Mate. Not that Naruto blamed him. He probably would be pitching a fit constantly, if the roles were reversed.

"Yeah. I'm fine. He just needs to keep his mouth shut about things that he doesn't understand." The raven haired ninja mutters.

"Oh I definitely agree with you there. Don't let his stupid ass get you down. He's just jealous because we are actually getting laid and Karin won't give him the time of day." Naruto says with a smirk as he kisses Sasuke's forehead.

Suigetsu sputters. Immediately, he begins issuing a round of protests. The white haired man insisted that he wouldn't touch Karin with a ten foot pole and that Naruto must be nuts, if he thought otherwise.

"Suigetsu, shut up. You're making my ears hurt." Sasuke warns him as he smiles at his Mate.

It was like he was constantly cocooned in a warm blanket now. The youngest Uchiha could feel his Mate's love for him wherever he went. It was hard to articulate what it felt like exactly, just that it was warm and good.

Thankfully, the violet eyed man seemed to have some sense of self-preservation. He doesn't make further suggestive comments as the strange group continues on their way. Idly, Sasuke had to admit that he had collected quite the "diverse" set of teammates.

"Sasuke, have you decided what you are going to do when you see him again?" Naruto asks as he walks alongside his Mate, their fingers laced.

Sasuke smiles. Before he Mated Naruto, he would have found the mere idea of handholding silly. Now, he reveled in whatever physical contact he could get with the blonde. No matter how minor it was.

That's when he heard his lover's words and frowns. Honestly, he didn't know what he would do once he saw Itachi. Sasuke just knew that he had to see him and was hoping that instinct would take over at that point.

"No. I just have to speak with him. I need to have some sort of closure. I might still kill him. I don't know. I just can't keep going on like this. Resolution is necessary." He murmurs.

* * *

Meanwhile Kisame and Itachi had found a nearby cave, about half a day's journey from the Sand to stay in while they recovered. It was an exhausting process. Extracting a demon was not easy.

"How are you feeling?" Kisame asks in concern as he sits by Itachi.

Itachi gives him a dirty look for even asking that question. He made no other sounds or gestures. The man needed to conserve his energy.

"I'll take that to mean you feel like shit. You should lay down and get some sleep. I think I have a chakra pill somewhere around here." He muses.

This caused the elder Uchiha brother to roll his eyes good-naturedly. It was odd. Kisame could be very much a doting 'lover' when he wanted to be. In some ways, it was rather endearing.

They weren't actually lovers, but Itachi had mentally given Kisame that label anyway. It was obvious that the other Akatsuki did feel strongly about him. If things were different, the smoky eyed ninja was almost certain that they would be lovers. So the label fit.

"It's fine. I'm just exhausted. My strength will return to me shortly. You were right. Without that treatment, I likely wouldn't have been able to make it through the extraction process." Itachi murmurs as he pulls Kisame down for a kiss.

Kisame smiles and returns the kiss. That was better. Now maybe with just a little more poking and prodding, Itachi would see reason. He wasn't going to let the other man die, without doing his damnest to save him.

"Good. I'm glad you are finally starting to see reason." Kisame says.

* * *

A short while later, Kisame suddenly goes on high alert. He could feel several chakra signatures coming towards them. He recognized one as being Sasuke's. Another was Naruto. The third was definitely Suigetsu. He didn't know the other two though.

"Itachi, it looks like your brother wants to have a chat with you. If things look bad, I am getting you out of there. Don't you think about fucking fighting me." Kisame hisses at him.

Itachi would have laughed, if he had the energy. So Sasuke had found him. His little brother had found him when he was at his most vulnerable. He supposed it was as good a day as any to die.

"Kisame, I may love you, but I will do whatever I desire." Itachi says as he rises to his feet and heads out of the cave to face Sasuke and his "friends."

"So you found me. What do you plan to do now, my foolish little brother?" The elder Uchiha inquires.

He tries his best to stand tall. Itachi wanted to face his death with some dignity, if at all possible. He was almost certain that Sasuke would still desire revenge, despite the circumstances behind the massacre.

Why wouldn't he? Just because Itachi hadn't want to do it, didn't make their family any less dead. Not to mention he had lied to Sasuke for years. Oh and there was that time that he trapped his little brother in his jutsu and tortured him psychically. Yes, Sasuke had many reasons to want him dead.

"I'm the foolish one? You can barely stand. Try to hide it all you like, I can see how your knees are shaking. I know it's not from fright. You're sick and not just spiritually." The raven haired ninja observes.

"You've grown perceptive." Itachi muses.

"I might be perceptive, but you are deceptive. It wasn't enough to slaughter our entire family, you had me living a lie for YEARS." Sasuke hisses at him.

Naruto places his hand on his Mate's shoulder. He didn't know what Sasuke was planning on doing. He doubted that even Sasuke knew, but he could feel the powerful emotions rolling off of his lover like a tsunami.

Hatred, fear, and confusion were the strongest. Still there were other emotions flickering just beneath the surface. Guilt and perhaps a little hope.

"It's okay, Sasuke. I'm here for you. Whatever you decide to do. I'll help you. Always and forever." He whispers.

Some part of his Mate, longed to have his brother back. Some part of Sasuke, felt guilty for believing that Itachi had killed them just to test his abilities. Honestly, the blonde had no idea how his Mate was even still standing when all those emotions were swirling around inside him. It made him feel dizzy and he was only getting a secondhand blast.

"I know." Sasuke whispers back.

Itachi caught it. He smiles. If nothing else, he knew that his brother had found love. Granted he had expected Sasuke to fall in love with a woman, but he could hardly judge. He was in love with a man who looked like either his mother or father was a shark.

"Uh oh. He's smiling." Suigetsu observes.

Sasuke blinks when he hears the white haired man say that. He glances back at Itachi. The sword lover was right. His brother was smiling. The question was why though.

Why would Itachi be smiling? Did he want to die? Was he mocking Sasuke? Sasuke bites back a snarl as he glares at his brother for his audacity. How dare he laugh at him?!

"Is this funny to you?"! The younger Uchiha roars at him.

"Not at all. I know that you likely won't believe me, but what I am about to say is true. I am happy for you. I'm happy that you found love." The elder ninja says.

Sasuke raises an eyebrow. Itachi was offering his **_blessing?_** That's what his brother was smiling about?

"You're right. I don't believe you. You murdered our entire Clan and now are claiming that you are pleased that I found my most precious person? Itachi, I'm not a little kid anymore. I'm not dumb enough to believe your lies!" Sasuke hisses at him.

Itachi winces. He had expected that reaction. It was the logical one and he certainly deserved it. That didn't make it any less painful though.

"This time, he ain't lying to you brat. Believe me, I know Itachi. I know when he's trying to pull one over someone. He isn't do that with you." Kisame says.

"SHUT UP! THIS DOESN'T CONCERN YOU!" The youngest Uchiha thunders and he roars as he charges at the other man with a Chidori blazing.

He would have shoved his lightning punch through the other man's heart, if Itachi hadn't jumped in the way at the last second. His fist toward through Itachi's side. Sasuke's eyes widen as his brother's blood sprays all over his face.

"Itachi!" Kisame cries out in horror.

Sasuke couldn't believe it. Itachi had just thrown himself in front of the other man. He'd done it in the same way that he would have for Naruto. Was Itachi actually in love? Was his brother even capable of that anymore?

"Karin, heal him. Itachi isn't allowed to die until I get my answers." Sasuke orders the red head and she rushes over to his side.

Kisame eyes her warily. Cleary, he wasn't entirely certain that he wanted someone else near an injured Itachi. He reluctantly moves aside though. He would most certainly die without treatment.

"You have to bite her neck for her healing abilities to work." The raven haired ninja informs Itachi.

Itachi blinks. That explanation seemed to throw him for a loop briefly. Still he sinks his teeth into Karin's neck.

"Thank you." Kisame says to Sasuke and Karin.

Truly, it was difficult that wrap his mind around the fact that Sasuke was instructing his teammate to save Itachi. Not only had Itachi said that he loved him, he had been willing to die to protect him. As if that wasn't enough, now the youngest Uchiha was saving Itachi's life.

He wasn't exactly sure why that was the case. Kisame knew better to argue though. He was just grateful that Itachi was going to live!

"Don't thank me. This doesn't mean that I won't kill him. It just means that I want my answers. I might or might not end up killing him." Sasuke warns Kisame.

* * *

Back in the Leaf Village, Tsunade sighs in relief. The rescue mission had been a success. The Kazekage was alive. Unfortunately, the Akatsuki had at least one Tailed Beast. That was not good.

"My Lady, this came for you in the mail." Shizune says as she walks over to the Hokage with a scroll in her hand.

"Thank you, Shizune. I'll have a look." The busty blonde replies as she opens the scroll.

It had the official seal of the Sand Village on it. That meant that it had to be either an Ambassador, a council member, or the Kazekage. She smiles when she saw that she was right. It was from Gaara.

**_Dear Lady Hokage,_ **

**_Thank you for coordinating the rescue effort to save me. I am currently in recovery. As I sit in this hospital, I can not help but wonder about Naruto._ **

**_Have you heard anything about his whereabouts lately? I miss him. He was the first person to see me as anything but a monster, in many years. I feel a debt of gratitude towards him._ **

**_Please let me know if there is a way that I can assist you in your search efforts. I would like nothing more than to ensure my first friend returns to everyone safe and sound._ **

**_Sincerely, Gaara the Kazekage_ **

"It's from Gaara. He wanted to thank us for rescuing him and to help find Naruto." Tsunade muses with a smile.

She didn't doubt that he was sincere. Unfortunately, she doubted there was much that he could do to help them. Sasuke and Naruto had both been gone for a long time.

During that time, they must have gotten better at stealth. Her ANBUS hadn't seen hide, nor hair of them for awhile. It was frustrating to say the least.

"What are we going to tell him? We don't have any leads." Shizune points out.

"I'll just tell him that I appreciate his offer of help and that if we get any information on their whereabouts, we'll be sure to notify him. Sadly, that is all that we can do at the moment. I have no idea where those boys have gone. Orochimaru is dead." She says.

Shizune nods. That was the most troubling thing that they had learned recently. Without Orochimaru, they had no way of knowing what the boys were planning, but the young woman knew that they were planning something. She just didn't know what and that made her very nervous.

"We'll find them. I know we will." The brunette says.

"Who are you trying to convince? Me or yourself?" Tsunade asks in amusement.

"Both of us." The other ninja admits in a display of raw honesty.

The Hokage sighs and nods. Well if nothing else, she knew that she could always rely on Shizune. Tragically, that wouldn't bring Naruto or Sasuke back. There had to be something that they were missing. Some clue.

"It's late. You should get some sleep. Good night, Shizune." She says.

"Good night, My Lady. Sleep well." Her assistant replies as she walks off.

Tsunade pulls out a bottle of sake from underneath her desk. She definitely needed a drink. These brats made her feel ninety on some days, but she wasn't going to give up.

She was going to find them, she vows as Tsunade pours herself a bottle of sake. The medic was the Hokage of the Leaf Village. She couldn't afford to give up. Kages didn't give up. Not now, not ever. (They were permitted at times like these to drink themselves silly though).

* * *

Back in the Sound, Sanzara had managed to place the curse mark on all the remaining Sound Villagers. It was really the only way to ensure compliance. Without it, he would have to try to reason with them.

"And most of them are hardly the reasonable sort. Besides, once their loyalty is assured, I can always reverse it later." He rationalizes.

He didn't know how long Sasuke, Naruto, Kabuto, and his new team would be gone. Sanzara did know one thing though. He was going to ensure that everything was ready for them when they returned.

The young ninja wasn't a fool. He had great skill in the art of sealing, but there was no way that he would have had the strength to rule over a ninja village all alone. That is why he needed to insert a figurehead. In this case, two figureheads.

"Sasuke and Naruto will do just fine. Naruto has never been one to seek power. He'll be happy as long as Sasuke is by his side. While Sasuke might pose more of a threat ambition wise, it's clear what his true desire is. A family. It will be easy to become their advisor. They might rule the Sound in name, but I will be the one truly running things behind the scenes." He murmurs to himself.

It was the perfect plan really. The problem with most evil masterminds is that they refused to acknowledge their strengths AND weaknesses. He didn't have this problem. That was why he was born to rule really.

"Sanzara, here is the inventory list." One of the Sound Ninja says as he walks over to him.

"Ah wonderful. Thank you. You may go now." He states and the other man leaves.

He smirks as he looks it over. Sanzara had ordered that an inventory be taken. It was important to realize what you had. It looked like they were good on food, weapons, and medicines. Unfortunately, they were running low on some more personal items. They would have to fix that.

"Well one can't have anything. I'm certain that they will appreciate coming back to a well organized village." The young ninja reasons.

* * *

Back with Team Taka, Sasuke watches after Itachi was stabilized. He had asked everyone to leave. Everyone had, except for Kisame. Even Naruto left when the youngest Uchiha asked. (Sasuke was pretty sure this was only because the blonde knew that if he became upset, the blonde would feel it and could come rushing in to save the day. It still counted though. )

"Tell me the truth, Itachi." He says.

"You know why I did the Massacre. I truly wish that I had more that I could say to you. You have no idea the level of guilt that I have to live with everyday. I regret that I had to cause you so much pain. I regret that I lied to you, but I won't do it again. If I was presented with the same choice, I would do it again. I killed hundreds of people to save tens of thousands of lives, Sasuke. That was my decision and I am willing to live or die with the consequences." He murmurs.

Sasuke frowns. He didn't know how to react to that. Itachi was apparently being honest with him. The other man was laying all his cards on the table and he didn't know how to react to it.

"It was easier when you were just a monster." He whispers.

"I know. That's why I wanted you to believe in the black and white verison of the world that I painted for you. Unfortunately, Kisame decided to intervene. He is rather stubborn. You'll have to forgive him." Itachi notes.

Sasuke bit his lower lip. Kisame. The man that Itachi had been willing to die for. It was obvious that his brother cared for exotic ninja. The raven haired Uchiha wasn't entirely certain if it was love or not, but there were strong feelings there.

Did that mean that somewhere deep inside Itachi, his beloved older brother still lived on? Was there still some shred of goodness left in him? If there was, was it enough to redeem him? Could he ever really forgive Itachi for what he had done?

"Yeah. I'm not letting you kill him by the way. Not without a fight." Kisame warns him.

"He loves you, Itachi. I think that on some level, you may love him back. That means there's still something good inside you. I can't forgive you though. I'll never forgive you for what you did to our family, but I'm not going to kill you. I have something better in mind." Sasuke says with a smirk.

Itachi raises an eyebrow, who knew what was going on in his foolish little brother's mind at the moment. Sasuke looked rather smug though. Clearly, he was feeling pleased with his own cleverness.

"You have my attention. What fate do you have in store for me?" The elder Uchiha inquires.

"I have the Mangekyo Sharingan now. It's powerful, but limited. The user can't use it much, without going blind. That's unless they get a transplant from someone else who has it. Preferably a sibling." Sasuke says.

Kisame's eyes widen. No. He wouldn't let him do it! There was no way that he was going to let that punk steal Itachi's eyes.

"I won't let you do it!" He snarls.

"Cool it, Fishface. I would get Itachi's eyes and Itachi would get a normal pair of eyes. He wouldn't be blind, but he would never be able to use the Sharingan again. Every time he looked in the mirror or at my face, he will be reminded of what he did. It seems like the perfect punishment." Sasuke begins.

Itachi blinks. He couldn't help but feel both proud and disturb. He was proud of his brother for using his head instead of going with his gut desire for a quick revenge, but he was also disturbed. This was rather sadistic. In a way, this was far more sadistic than just killing him would have been.

"Itachi?" Kisame asks uncertainly.

"It's alright, Kisame. Let him finish." The elder Uchiha says.

"In addition, this leads him free to assist in Clan Restoration. You don't need to be a saint for that. All you need is not to be sterile. Surrogates will be used. I'm not twisted enough to ask you to sleep with a woman, when you already have a male lover." Sasuke states simply.

Itachi almost wanted to laugh at that. Sasuke wanted to cut his eyes out, but he wouldn't ask him to sleep with a woman. The man had such a strange standard when it came to mercy.

"That's agreeable. It does seem to be the least that I can do. It will save you from going blind. I will lose quite a bit of power, but don't make the mistake of thinking this will leave me helpless. Once my illness is gone and I have adjusted to the eye transplant, I will still be formidable." Itachi warns him.

"Oh I know that. I'm counting on it. Our Clan is going to need your strength, if we are going to survive." Sasuke mutters.

Yes, he was both proud and disturbed. The two emotions were certainly warring inside him for dominance. At the moment though, Itachi settles on proud.

"This is quite the clever and elaborate plan. How long have you been working on it?" Itachi asks.

"It just occurred to me. I have been researching the Mangekyo Sharingan for awhile though." Sasuke admits.

"Perhaps you are not so foolish after all, if you can come up with all that in five minutes." Itachi says and he flicks Sasuke's forehead.

Sasuke grunts in pain as he rubs his head. He couldn't believe that Itachi had done that. It was like he was a child again.

"You always do that!" He growls.

In a very bizarre way, the action gave him hope. Maybe somehow, they could move on from the horrors of the past. They could rebuild their clan and they could repair their bond. Well at least to some small extent.

He'd never be able to fully forgive Itachi for what he had done. It would take a miracle, but someday Sasuke might be able to not have his elder brother someday. This plan was the first step in towards reconciliation and Clan Restoration.

"Of course, I do. It's my way of saying that I love you and I do enjoy that it drives you crazy." Itachi confesses and Kisame laughs while Sasuke wonders what he had just gotten himself into.


	15. Brilliant

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sasuke and Naruto are making plans for their future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Thanks for all the reviews. I hope that you all enjoy this chapter.
> 
> Chapter Warning: Naruto rambles about Kisame for a bit. Warnings have been put up before and after that short scene. So if you aren't comfortable with weird musings, I would skip that part.

Later that night, Team Taka happened upon a large civilian village. It didn't take long for Suigetsu to spot a hotel for them to stay at and they all checked in. Thankfully, no one seemed to have recognized them yet. It was something of a miracle in Sasuke's mind, but he wasn't going to question it.

"Do you really think that they aren't just going to try to run?" Naruto asks his Mate, once they were alone in their hotel room.

"I doubt it. Kisame might be able to sneak off, but Itachi couldn't. He's too sick and Kisame wouldn't leave without Itachi. I can't believe it, but I think that they are really in love." Sasuke muses.

Naruto blinks. He could feel through the bond that Sasuke had been thrown off balance by that revelation. Honestly, so had he.

**Warning Naruto's Disturbing Kisame Musings**

"Really? How does that even work? I mean if Kisame tries to kiss him or something, won't his teeth like shred Itachi's tongue or something? Jeez. I wonder what his dick looks like. Do you think that it looks normal or like a shark's? Not that I know what a shark's kunai looks like, I just figure that it would probably look different than a human's." Naruto wonders out loud.

Sasuke shakes his head. He quickly pins his blonde to the bed. He really had to nip this in the bud, right now.

"Two things. The first is that you are rambling. The second is you aren't supposed to think about anyone's kunai that isn't mine or yours. Got it? You especially are not supposed to think about the kunai that belongs to a man who looks like one of his parents mated with a shark." Sasuke informs Naruto.

**End of Naruto's Disturbing Kisame Musings**

"Yeah. I guess I was kinda rambling and sorry. I'm definitely not attracted to him, if that's what you're worried about. I mean I have you." Naruto says brightly and Sasuke shakes his head in amusement again as he kisses his loveable dumb blonde.

Naruto smiles and returns the kiss. He quickly flips them. That was better. There really were few things more erotic than having a gorgeous Uchiha pinned underneath you, he decided.

"Oh I know you aren't attracted to him. I'd be able to tell through the bond." Sasuke says as he looks up at his Mate.

"Right. Well that does make things kinda convenient when it comes to jealousy." Naruto muses and Sasuke nods in agreement.

There were some definite benefits to being Mated. One of them was knowing what was on your lover's mind. You were always connected. That was a double edged sword. It also meant that your privacy was limited, Sasuke thinks to himself.

"Yeah. It is. So what do you think of my plan?" The raven haired man asks.

"I don't know. Part of me, wants to kill him for hurting you like he did. The other part of me feels sorry for him. At least your plan ensures that he gets punished somehow. That and it'll definitely be easier to restore your Clan this way. You'll have two Uchihas working on it. It's like that old saying, _"Two heads are better than one."_ Do you really trust Itachi to be a father though?" The blonde inquires.

Sasuke pauses as he considers how to answer that question. It was a good one. One that he hadn't really thought through when he pitched his plan. Did he really trust Itachi to help him restore their Clan?

"I don't know. He used to watch me a lot when I was a child. Itachi was once very loving. I know that he didn't willingly conduct the Massacre, but he still did it. If it turns out he's not trustworthy though, I'll step in. I'll protect my nieces and nephews." Sasuke vows.

"I believe you." Naruto says as he kisses Sasuke's forehead.

He knew that Sasuke would protect those kids. His lover might not be that fond of his brother at the moment, but he was reasonable enough not to hold it against innocent children. That was a good sign.

"Mm good. You should. You would know if I was lying. Let's not think about them anymore for tonight." Sasuke says.

"Yeah. You're right." Naruto says as he rolls off of Sasuke and then wraps his arms around the other man in a tight embrace.

Sasuke smiles and leans back into him. Idly, Naruto observes that Sasuke really was a Submissive. He would never admit that though, but he could tell. It was little things. Like right now, he was letting Naruto hold him. A dominant would do the holding.

"Naruto, I felt that. I am not Submissive!" Sasuke growls at him.

"You kinda are. It's just hard to get you to let your guard down enough that you can just be who you are. It's not an insult. You're my Mate and you're perfect just the way you are. Don't let Suigetsu get to you. He's just being a jerk." Naruto reassures him.

Sasuke merely rolls his eyes at his Mate. He wanted to be annoyed at him. He really did because he was NOT a Submissive, but he couldn't. Naruto would just have to go and say something ridiculously sweet like you're perfect and then the youngest Uchiha couldn't stay mad at him.

"You are such a loser, but I love you." Sasuke grumbles as he snuggles back into his lover and closes his eyes, before he falls asleep.

**_"He's beginning to accept his position. For such an aggressive Submissive, it can be rather difficult at first. This really would have been easier if he was female."_** Kurama muses.

**"Kurama, you are such an animal. You don't actually think getting your Mate pregnant is a way to solve these types of problems, do you?"** Naruto demands.

Kurama just looks at Naruto as if he was wondering whether or not the blonde was being deliberately stupid. Of course, he thought that. That was just how Mating worked. Well at least between heterosexual pairs. Still the idea had merit.

**_"Alright. Well the solution is still relatively simply. You just need to find a willing surrogate. A kit is a kit. It doesn't really matter who carries it during the pregnancy._** The Nine Tail reasons.

Naruto pauses as he considers Kurama's advice. The situation with Itachi looked like it was solved. That was really the only thing that Sasuke had been worried about. Maybe he had a point.

Sasuke wanted to restore his Clan, anyway. It'd make him happy. Yeah, they were young to be parents. But that didn't really bother Naruto. He liked kids and the idea of having such a visible bond with Sasuke was appealing.

**"Maybe. I'll talk to him about it."** The blonde says.

They were Mates, but that wasn't something most people would understand. Having a kid together was different though. Everyone could see and understand that meant you were a seriously committed couple. (Well at least you should be a seriously committed couple if you were going to have kids together anyway!)

He smiles as he tries to picture what Sasuke's kid would look like. For some reason, Naruto pictured a girl. A girl with long raven hair and Sasuke's creamy skin. His blue eyes though. That would be very cute! Oh and maybe she'd get his whisker markings.

"He'd probably flip out if her favorite color was orange though." Naruto laughs as he curls up into his Mate and dozes off.

* * *

Meanwhile Itachi and Kisame were in their room. The elder Uchiha eyes the other man warily. It wasn't because he was scared of him. Kisame would never attack him physically, it was because he didn't know what to say to him.

"Did you mean it when you said that you loved me?" He asks.

"You know that I did. I must love you. Otherwise I would have killed you for interfering so much, long before now. Apparently, I am a glutton for punishment." The smoky eyed ninja replies.

Kisame chuckles. Leave it to Itachi, to make a love confession into an insult. Uchihas were truly a special breed.

"I suppose you must be, but I am glad that you are a glutton for punishment in that case. Come on, Itachi. Get some rest. I don't know what your kid brother is planning to do in the morning, but you should get some sleep all the same." The blue skinned man reasons.

"You're right. My foolish little brother wants my eyes. I doubt he's idiotic enough to attempt at transfer while I'm in this condition, but one never knows." Itachi agrees and gets on the bed.

It didn't take Kisame long to join him and Itachi found that he didn't mind. They had lain close together before. The two men were ninja partners. One got used to sharing close quarters with their teammates. It was different today though.

Itachi had told the other man that he loved him. Things would never be the same between them. There would be no going back after this point. Surprisingly, the elder Uchiha brother found that he was okay with that.

"Yeah. That brat is full of surprises. I guess it's an Uchiha thing. He's a little sadistic though. He would have done well in the Akatsuki." Kisame muses.

"No, he would not have done well in the Akatsuk!" The other ninja snaps at him.

"I was only teasing, Itachi. Relax. Things are going to get better now. Well I don't really envy you. I damn sure wouldn't want someone cutting out my eyes and giving me another pair. You don't seem scared though." The former Mist Ninja observes.

Itachi shakes his head. No, he wasn't scared of getting an eye transplant. After everything that he had been through, that seemed almost easy. He was more concerned about what would happen afterwards. Would Sasuke really be able to forgive him?

"I'm not. It wasn't that long ago, that I had made my peace with my own morality. I never expected to live long enough to see my next birthday. Now I will. I will just be seeing the world through a different pair of eyes. Perhaps in a way, that is fitting. It's rather poetic, if one thinks about it long enough." He muses.

"Sure. Sure. You can call it poetic, if you want. I think it's kinda creepy. I'm just glad it's not me. Really freaks me out to think about someone cutting my eyes." Kisame says.

The elder Uchiha raises an eyebrow at Kisame. Having an eye transplant creeped him out, but he was just fine having shark teeth? He loved Kisame, but he could be rather strange sometimes.

"That is very reassuring. Thank you for making me feel so much better about my impending operation." Itachi mutters.

"Whoops! Damn. I didn't mean to make you feel nervous. I'm just saying, it is pretty morbid." He reasons.

Itachi laughs. Well Kisame would always be Kisame. He knew that the other man didn't mean anything by it. He simply closes his eyes and decides to get some sleep. It was likely that he was going to need it.

"Good night, Kisame." He murmurs.

"Good night, Itachi. I'm glad you aren't dead." Kisame says.

"Maybe one day, I'll be able to say the same. I appreciate you saying that though." The other member of the Akatsuki replies before falling asleep.

* * *

The next day, the group meets in the Dining Hall of the hotel for breakfast. To put it mildly, things were rather tense. No one seemed to know what the proper protocol for a situation like this was.

"So what's the plan?" Suigetsu asks, deciding to break the eerie silence that had fallen over Taka.

"We are heading back to the Sound Village. Even if we wanted to go back to the Leaf, odds are they wouldn't accept us. If they did, they certainly wouldn't accept them." Sasuke says as he glances at Itachi and Kisame.

Kisame just smiles slyly at that and Itachi sighs. It was rather apparent that he enjoyed his infamous reputation. The elder Uchiha nods at Sasuke's assessment as he digs into his meal.

"Where's Kabuto?" Karin asks.

"He's in his room. I have him bound. He's not going anywhere. If he happens to get out, that seal will keep him from getting far. Sanzara did give him an order not to stray too far from us." Jugo reasons.

Sasuke raises an eyebrow at that announcement. He hadn't been aware of that. Though he supposed it made sense.

Sanzara had given them Kabuto as a show of good faith. It wouldn't mean much, if the medic ran off at the first opportunity. Sasuke had to give Sanzara some credit. He was smart. Perhaps too smart.

"Do you trust him?" Sasuke asks Naruto.

"I don't know. I mean he did help us, but there is something a little shady about him. He's from the Sound Village though. You can say that about almost anyone there. So maybe I'm overreacting." The blue eyed ninja answers him and shrugs his shoulders uncertainly.

Itachi didn't know who Sanzara is, but he didn't particularly care for what he was hearing. The man knew how to use a Curse Seal. That was almost never a good sign.

"If something or someone seems too good to be true, they probably are." He murmurs.

"Yes, I know the feeling. That applies especially well to you." Sasuke mutters as he eats.

The elder Uchiha winces at that. He deserved that and worse. Itachi was aware of that. Still the words stung just the same.

"Alright kid. Cool it. You have damn good reasons to be upset with him, but either kill him and get it over with or let him be. There's no need for cruelty from you. That's my job." Kisame says.

Sasuke raises an eyebrow. Kisame really did love Itachi. That was going to take some time to wrap his head around. It looked like whatever was between them was actually genuine.

"Fine. Everyone finish eating. We are heading back to the Sound. Itachi, you need to get proper medical care. Right now, I'm not even sure you'd survive the transfer." Sasuke mutters as he finishes eating quickly and heads off with Naruto.

* * *

A few days later, they were back in the Sound and Sasuke frees Kabuto. Well he freed him enough to be able to provide Itachi with the medical care he needed. The youngest Uchiha certainly wasn't taking that seal off of him.

"If you try anything, you will die. Painfully. Got it?" Sasuke demands.

"Got it. What would be the point? I'm a slave now. Thanks to that bastard Sanzara." The silver haired medic growls.

"Good." Sasuke says as he walks off with Naruto and Itachi sits on the examination table.

It wasn't surprising that Kabuto wanted to give him a physical first. Itachi viewed it as a complete waste of time, but he understood the medic's motivations. Still, it was rather tedious.

"I can't believe he didn't kill you. What changed his mind?" The bespectacled ninja inquires as he checks the other man's vitals.

Itachi sighs. Honestly, he wasn't entirely sure what it was. He did know one thing though. He wasn't going to tell Kabuto anything that wasn't vital to his treatment. He trusted the man about as far as he could throw him in his weakened state.

"That's really none of your concern. You should be more worried about your own welfare. You are already under the influence of a curse mark. Neither Sasuke, nor Naruto are particularly fond of you. The only reason you are still alive is because your medical skills make you too valuable to kill." The smoky eyed ninja warns him.

"Touché. This must be difficult to you. Your life is in the hands of your brother. A brother that you took everything away from." Kabuto taunts him.

Itachi proceeds to ignore the silver haired man for the rest of the physical. He wasn't going to allow the Sound Ninja to goad him. It was what he wanted.

Clearly the medic felt powerless in his new situation. Kabuto needed to exert control in whatever way he could. Apparently, he thought he could do so by taunting Itachi. He was certainly barking up the wrong tree. There was nothing this man could say, that would impact him.

"And people accused Orochimaru of being cold." Kabuto mutters.

* * *

At that same moment, Naruto and Sasuke had found Sanzara. The blonde could sense that his Mate was rather suspicious of the other man. Still Sasuke hadn't completely written him off yet. Cautiously optimistic might have been the best way to describe the youngest Uchiha's thoughts towards Sanzara at the moment.

"I see that you've been busy. Everything looks more organized than usual." Sasuke notes.

"Very busy. Now that Orochimaru is gone, this can be made into a real Ninja Village. I took the liberty of making an inventory of everything. I have some ninjas working on securing the items that we are running low on. I hope that pleases you." Sanzara says as he hands Sasuke the list.

Sasuke shares it with Naruto. Both men blink. This was extremely thorough. The level of planning involved should have taken months to execute. Something was off.

"You've been thinking about doing this for awhile. No one could have put together such an exhaustive list and set of plans so quickly. I don't care how intelligent someone is, people can't dream this up overnight." The raven haired ninja observes.

"You're right. I have been planning this for quite some time. Let's just say that I had no love for Orochimaru or his pet, Kabuto." He says with a smirk.

Suigetsu, Karin, and Jugo were watching from the side. All of them were exchanging looks. Karin was impressed. Jugo was worried. Finally, Suigetsu had gripped his sword in preparation of a fight.

"If we hadn't killed Orochimaru, you would have done it." Naruto shocks Sasuke by saying.

Sasuke frowns. The old Naruto never would have realized such a thing. He was far too pure. This Naruto wasn't. There was a dark undercurrent to his emotions, that the youngest Uchiha knew wasn't from Kyuubi this time. Something was going on with Naruto. Something big.

"You're right. I would have, if I was given the opportunity. Does that upset you?" Sanzara asks.

"No. It doesn't upset us." Sasuke says.

He could hardly be upset that this man carried a grudge against Orochimaru. The Sannin would still be alive, if it wasn't for them. It didn't matter now that Sanzara had been plotting against him. If anything, it had been to their benefit. All his planning would make managing the Sound much easier.

"Good." Sanzara says with a smile.

**_"Naruto, calm yourself. Your Mate can feel what you feel. He might not know exactly what you are thinking, but the emotion is rather clear. You are making him uneasy."_** Kurama warns him.

**"I can't help it. He wanted to take Sasuke's body for his own."** Naruto growls mentally.

The thought of living without his Mate now, was completely unbearable. Naruto's only regret as far as Orochimaru was concern was that he hadn't suffered a slower death. He deserved far worse than what had happened to him.

""You've done a great job. Thank you. It's been a long journey. I'd love to talk to you in the morning and go over all this." Sasuke says smoothly.

"Of course. That sounds delightful. Please do get some rest. Congratulations on capturing your brother by the way." Sanzara says.

"Thank you. Naruto? Are you coming?" The raven haired ninja asks as he makes his way back towards their room.

* * *

Naruto nods. He darts off after Sasuke. He knew why the other man was feigning exhaustion. His Mate wanted to talk.

The blonde was proven right when Sasuke shuts the door behind him. He swiftly pins Naruto against the wall. Oh yeah. The younger Uchiha certainly meant business.

"Do you want to tell me why I am feeling a lot of sadistic thoughts through our bond?" Sasuke asks.

"He mentioned Orochimaru. That's all. I'm still angry with that freak for what he wanted to do to you. If that snake had gotten his way, you wouldn't be here with me." The blonde answers honestly and Sasuke's eyes soften.

So that's what was it. His Mate had just been angry because Orochimaru had wanted to take his body. That made sense. Everything was okay then.

Orochimaru was dead. Nothing more was going to happen on that front. Naruto would calm down eventually. Anyone in the blonde's position would have been furious with the Sannin. It was only natural.

"He's gone, Naruto. It doesn't matter anymore. No one is going to take us away from each other." Sasuke assures him.

That was apparently what Naruto needed to hear. He growls in approval and Sasuke felt himself shiver. There was something very animalistic about the way that his lover had just growled. Something exciting really.

"Yeah I guess I got carried away." Naruto says as he licks Sasuke's Mating Mark.

"Mmm maybe a little, but it's okay. You only did it because you care." Sasuke says with a smile as he loosens his hold on Naruto.

Naruto took advantage of that fact and immediately pushes Sasuke onto a nearby chair. The blonde was on him in a flash and quickly captures his lips in a heated kiss. Sasuke didn't protest this "sneak attack" and soon found himself returning the kiss.

"I love you." Sasuke whispers after he breaks the kiss.

"I love you too. I've been thinking about something. I know how much you want to restore your Clan. Now that we have the Itachi situation straightened out, maybe we could start looking for surrogates. I know that we haven't been together that long, but we've known each other forever and we are Mates." Naruto reasons as he caresses his cheek.

Sasuke blinks. He wasn't sure what he had expected, but that wasn't it. Naruto wanted to use surrogates already.

He bites his lower lip as his logical and emotional parts of his mind decided to go to war with each other. The first told him that it wasn't very logical. While the Itachi situation may have been settled, there was still the Leaf to consider. That and they hadn't been romantically involved for long. On the other hand, he wanted nothing more than to start a family with his Mate.

"I don't know. I do want a family with you, Naruto. It's just that it's probably not a good idea right now. What about the Leaf?" He asks.

Naruto frowns. That hadn't occurred to them. Mentally he slaps himself for not thinking of that sooner. Sasuke was right.

"You said it yourself, it's not likely that they would let us and the others back in. We can turn the Sound into an official village. We can start over. I'm sure that if I got in touch with Gaara, he'd recognize us. It only takes one Kage to recognize a new village, for it to be official. Once we are official, the Leaf will have to think twice about picking any fights." Naruto reasons.

Sasuke cocks his head to the side curiously. That was all true. Though it surprised him that Naruto had thought of all that and so quickly. He wasn't a very political person by nature.

"Kurama must be rubbing off on you. That's brilliant. Try to get in touch with Gaara. That might work." Sasuke muses.

"Of course, it's brilliant! I have a lot of good ideas." Naruto says with a grin.

Sasuke laughs and shakes his head. That was Naruto. He could always make him laugh, no matter what was going on.

"Mhm. Like Mating me." He says.

"Exactly! That was my best idea actually." The blonde agrees.


	16. Ferocity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A new side of Naruto is revealed as the Sound moves to become an official ninja village.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews. I hope you all enjoy this chapter.
> 
> Chapter Notation: I'm not really sure about the Sound's legal situation as far as who actually owns the land, so I just winged it. It might or might not be canon, but obviously this story has already diverged somewhat from cannon anyway.

"You're crazy as fuck." Suigetsu says once Naruto briefs Team Taka about his plan to get the Sound officially recognized, a few days later.

Sasuke could understand the violet eyed ninja's skepticism. He had though the same thing. Naruto was Naruto though. If he said he was going to do something, he would. Sasuke had just stopped questioning the fact that Naruto could always pull a rabbit out of his hat.

"I'm crazy like a fox." The blonde says with a grin.

"Fox demon, you mean. Sheesh. You're nuts. There's no way that the Kazekage is going to approve this place. I don't care how tight you are with Red. He ain't gonna do it." The white haired man insists.

The blonde rolls his eyes. Suigetsu didn't know Gaara. His friend wouldn't let him down. Naruto knew that the Kazekage would understand, once he explained things to him anyway.

While Suigetsu was expressing his skepticism, Karin just blinks. She couldn't believe that even Naruto was this crazy. The man was actually going to ask a Kage to recognize a criminal village? That was the height of insanity.

"I don't know if this is such a good idea. We've stayed safe because they haven't been able to track us. We have all sorts of hiding locations scattered around the Five Nations. If they approve this, that means we are going to have to pick one and stick to it." The red head reasons.

**_"Well at least one of your Mate's teammates has more than rocks in her head."_** Kurama muses.

**"Hey, Jugo is pretty smart. He's just quiet."** Naruto protests.

**_"Alright. I'll grant you that. Jugo is also tolerable. He is actually a superior teammate than Karin because he hasn't tried to seduce our Mate."_** The Nine Tails reasons.

Sasuke glance at Naruto. His lover must be having a discussion with the Nine Tails. The blonde was spacing out again.

"Anyway, it's going to take awhile for Gaara to get our letter and to respond. I'm going to go check on Itachi." He says as he heads off to check on the other Uchiha.

Naruto smiles as he watches his Mate's retreating form. Only Sasuke could make something as simple as walking so elegant. Well Itachi was that was well, but the blonde wasn't in love with Itachi. So that didn't really count.

* * *

"How are you feeling?" Sasuke asks Itachi, ignoring Kisame's presence.

"Better than I was. As much as I loathe Kabuto, I can not argue with his medical skill." Itachi muses.

The younger Uchiha nods in agreement. He had thought that countless times. Finally, there was something that the brothers could agree on. Kabuto was irritating, but useful. So they wouldn't kill him…yet.

"The treatments do seem to be working." Kisame observes and kisses Itachi's forehead.

Yeah. That was disturbing. Sasuke wasn't sure how to feel about his elder brother at the moment, but he did know that image was disturbing. Anyone kissing Itachi would have been odd, but Kisame took it to a whole new level.

"Good. We are going to delay the eye transplants until after we receive Gaara's response." Sasuke says.

"So you are serious about trying to get the Sound officially recognized. Interesting. That is quite the gamble. Though I suppose it makes sense in a way. You can hardly walk back into the Leaf and expect them to pretend that you and Naruto didn't desert them." The smoky eyed ninja observes.

"Yes, we are serious about this. It's our best shot." His brother reasons.

Itachi nods. As tacky as the pun was, Sasuke's reasoning was **sound.** Perhaps that was fitting because they were currently residing inside the Sound Village.

"I wish you success on this venture. You can hardly evade the Leaf Village when you are old and gray. Sooner or later, they would find you and they would kill you, if they viewed you as a threat. That would defeat the purpose of all this." He muses.

"That's right. Kisame, make sure my brother doesn't do anything stupid. He has a habit of trying power through his illness. We all know that Itachi is really the foolish one." Sasuke says arrogantly.

Itachi rolls his eyes in amusement. Well it was good to see some light in Sasuke's eyes again. Clearly, his relationship with Naruto was working wonders. Speaking of Naruto, the elder Uchiha brother could sense the blonde's chakra heading towards them.

"Sasuke, Sanzara wants to speak with us. He says it's important." Naruto informs him.

"Alright. Kisame, if anything happens to Itachi, remember I will turn you into sushi." The raven haired ninja warns him as he walks off with his lover.

* * *

Naruto smiles. He leads Sasuke towards their room. It was at this point, that the former Leaf Villager realized something was up. That and the fact that the blue eyed ninja felt giddy. Sasuke could feel it through their bond.

"Do you want to tell me why you're so pleased with yourself?" The raven haired man demands with a raised eyebrow.

"Eh I was being a bit sneaky. I didn't lie exactly. I mean we should talk to Sanzara, but not tonight. I just wanted to get you back to our room." Naruto says.

That was surprising. It wasn't like Naruto to be deceptive. Sasuke didn't know whether to be impressed or slightly alarmed. He decides to go with impressed for now.

"And why did you want to get me back to our room so badly?" Sasuke asks slyly.

"Well you were sauntering off to Itachi. So you know, I wanted to be with my Mate." Naruto says.

Sasuke shakes his head in amusement. Naruto got turned on by the way he walked? It really was ridiculously easy to please the blonde sometimes.

"That's fine with me. I want to be with you too." Sasuke says as he kisses him.

The two lovers spend the rest of the night together. By the time the Sun was rising over the horizon, Sasuke was impressed. That bed was a lot stronger than he had previously thought. To say the least, Naruto was quite _enthusiastic_ when it came to their lovemaking.

"Mine." Naruto growls in contentment as he licks at Sasuke's Mating Mark.

Sasuke tilts his head to the side and exposes sensitive flesh more. Other than his kunai, his Mating Mark was definitely the most sensitive spot on his body. Anytime Naruto touched him there, he melted almost instantly and the reverse was true as well.

"Fuck." Sasuke moans and he feels his blond smirk into his neck.

**_"Ah that's better. Maybe we don't need kits to make him accept his position after all."_** Kurama muses.

"We just did, but if you want to more… I wouldn't complain." The blue eyed ninja says as he showers Sasuke's shoulder with more kisses.

"I'm sure you wouldn't. We probably should shower and talk to Sanzara though. That guy has basically been running this place while we were away. He's either if going to be a great asset or he's planning to stab us in the back later on." The raven haired Uchiha observes.

Sasuke shivers when he felt Naruto's approval at the idea of them taking a shower. He never would have thought that the innocent idiot that he had grown to love all those years, would be this big of a sex fiend. Speaking of big, he could feel the other ninja's arousal pressed against his inner thigh.

"Just to get cleaned up. We'll never leave this room, if you keep that up." Sasuke warns him.

"You say that like it's a bad thing." Naruto says.

Sasuke just rolls his eyes playfully. He proceeds to hop out of the bed and heads towards the bathroom. The youngest Uchiha knew that Naruto would follow. He always did.

Yeah. He felt a little smug about that. It was also comforting in a way. No matter what happened, his Mate was going to follow him. Hmpf. Who was the Dominant Mate now?

"Sasuke, I felt that!" Naruto warns him as he enters the bathroom and sees the other ninja adjusting the water temperature.

"Felt what?" Sasuke asks, feigning innocence.

That was of course a futile effort. The Mating Bond let Naruto know exactly what Sasuke was feeling. His Mate was feeling rather smug and a bit rebellious. Naruto might not have known the lyrics to the song, but he could definitely hear the beat.

"You were feeling rather cocky there about something. What was it?" Naruto asks as he gets in the shower and pulls Sasuke into it with him.

"I have no idea what your talking about." The youngest Uchiha says.

"Oh really?" Naruto asks as he turns Sasuke around, so that his back was facing the blonde and bites down lightly on the Mark.

Oh fuck! That wasn't playing fair. Since when did Naruto fight this dirty? Sasuke felt himself moan and leans back into his Mate.

"Alright. I was just thinking that I'm really the Dominant Mate. You're always chasing my ass anywhere I go. Clearly, I'm the one in control." Sasuke states smugly.

**_"And here I had thought that we were making progress. If you don't discipline him for THAT, he's going to walk all over you."_** Kurama warns him.

**"Kurama! We are kinda having a PRIVATE moment here!"** Naruto snaps at him and the Nine Tails retreats further back into his mind to allow them their moment.

It did irk him a bit to admit it, but he couldn't really argue with Sasuke's logic there. He did always follow him and they both knew it. Kurama was right though. He really needed to assert some sort of dominance over Sasuke. He didn't want to risk messing up their Mating Bond somehow.

"Well, it is a very nice ass. Too bad it's going to be very sore, if you keep that up." Naruto growls warningly into Sasuke's ear and he bites down on the Mating Mark, before lavishing it his tongue soothingly.

"You are such a loser. You don't scare me." Sasuke groans and arches further back into his Mate.

* * *

Meanwhile Jugo shakes his head. He knew that Sasuke was planning on telling Sanzara about Gaara today. Despite this, Naruto and Sasuke hadn't left their room once. It didn't take a genius to figure out why that was the case.

So the gentle giant decides to take matters into his own hands. He knocks on their door and waits for a response. Jugo knew that they both had keen hearing. One of them was obviously going to respond.

"SANZARA, IS WAITING TO SEE BOTH OF YOU. Remember, you told him that you would speak with him today." Jugo calls out.

Jugo was right. The lovers definitely heard the other man. Sasuke and Naruto both sigh in frustration.

"Alright! Thanks. Tell him we'll be there in about 20 minutes." The youngest Uchiha calls out.

"Sounds good. I'll let him know." The orange haired man agrees and presumably heads off to do exactly that.

* * *

Naruto grumbles and Sasuke starts washing them both off rather quickly. He wasn't going to let the blonde's pouting make them late. They weren't Kakashi. Being on time actually meant something to them.

"I'll prove you wrong later." Sasuke says with a smirk.

"You wish." Naruto retorts and his Mate gives him a chaste kiss before rinsing them off.

Once they were out of the shower, Naruto dries his Mate off slowly. He could feel that Sasuke actually rather liked this extra attention. Thank God, for the Mating Bond. His Mate was way too introverted sometimes. Without it, half the time he would have no idea what was going on in the other man's head.

"You like the Bond because that way you don't have to think too hard about what I'm thinking. Cheater." Sasuke mutters, though there was no malice in it.

"Well yeah. I wouldn't need to feel that way though if you would open up more. I mean you can be really expressive when you want to be, but I think you get some sort of kick out of pretending to be all mysterious. The girls used to lap that routine up, but I'd rather know." Naruto explains.

Sasuke helps Naruto dry off and looks at him. The blonde could tell that he was debating about what he was going to say. After a minute or so, it appears he had decided how to respond to that.

"What I'm thinking is simple. You're an idiot, but I love you anyway." Sasuke says as he walks out of the their room, after dressing.

"GET BACK HERE, YOU BASTARD!" Naruto growls and chases after him, once he was dressed.

"See what I mean? You'll always chase me." Sasuke says with a smirk as they head into the meeting room to speak with Sanzara.

* * *

Sanzara didn't look pleased. Though it was obvious that he was trying to hide it. Sasuke blinks when he saw the scroll with the official Kazekage Seal on it.

"Apparently, the Kazekage is going to be visiting us either later this evening to tomorrow morning." Sanzara says.

"Wow. I didn't think Gaara would get back to us that soon. We were gonna tell you, but got a bit distracted." Naruto says cheerfully.

"How is it possible that the two of you so powerful and yet still act like children?" Sanzara asks with a sigh.

Naruto's eyes narrow and Sasuke blinks at what he was suddenly feeling from his Mate. This wasn't normal for Naruto. It was very primitive.

"Naruto, he's just upset because we didn't give him more notice. He's being annoying, but it's not that big a deal. It's a simple matter of reminding him of his place." Sasuke says as he flits behind Sanzara and hits him with a Lion's Barrage.

"And here I had hoped that you two would be more reasonable than Orochimaru and Kabuto. Oh well." Sanzara says as he turns into a log and the real Sanzara materializes behind Sasuke.

He holds a kunai against his pale throat. Sasuke's eyes narrow. This idiot was asking for it. The youngest Uchiha was about to disable the other ninja, when Naruto lost it.

All the warning that Sasuke got was the feeling of killer intent coming from their Mating Bond. Naruto was furious. He saw one chakra tail emerge and slam right into Sanzara's skull with such force that it knocked his head clean off and his lifeless corpse falls to the ground.

"Sasuke, are you okay?" Naruto asks as he rushes over to his Mate and wraps his arms around him.

"Yeah. I'm fine. Him, not so much." Sasuke says and does his best to look anywhere but at the floor.

Sasuke Uchiha was not a squeamish person by nature. It took a lot to make him feel sick. The sight of someone's head rolling around on the ground, well that would do it.

"You're a bad liar. You're shaken up. I can feel what you feel now. It's okay though. That prick isn't going to pull a kunai on you again, anytime soon." Naruto growls and the tail slowly recedes as he captures Sasuke's lips in a heated kiss.

Sasuke was a bit taken aback by the ferocity, but he kisses back. He understood what Naruto needed though. The Bond let him know. He wanted to make sure that he was okay. That he wasn't actually hurt and most importantly, the blonde wanted to be a "good Mate." He wanted to protect his Submissive.

"Naruto, it's alright. I'm fine. Really." Sasuke murmurs after breaking the kiss.

That last part annoyed Sasuke. He could have handled it. They were Mates now, but that didn't make him weak. Still he wasn't about to argue that point with his lover.

Naruto was really shaken up and in a way, part of him was really pleased with his display of force. Sasuke knew that was his "Submissive Instincts" or whatever bullshit that Kyuubi called it. So he wasn't as alarmed by that as he would have been otherwise. It was just part of their bond.

"Well Naruto, I have to admit that you do keep things interesting. I was surprised when you got in touch with me about wanting to start a new Ninja Village. Though I must admit, I have to admit a headless corpse and you kissing the Uchiha certainly makes that look almost normal in comparison." The blonde hears a familiar, raspy voice call out.

"GAARA!" The blonde exclaims.

Oh boy. That wasn't exactly how Sasuke pictured breaking the whole Mates Thing to the red head. Thankfully, it didn't look like the Kazekage had an issue with two men being **together.** That or he was too polite to mention it, if he did.

"It's good to see you again, my friend. Truly, it has been far too long. I see that you have been keeping rather busy." The Kage says as he glances down at the corpse.

"Yeah! You could say that. It's a long story. That prick pulled a kunai on Sasuke though." The blonde says as if that explained why he had decapitated the son of a bitch.

Well Gaara could certainly understand using deadly forced if one of your comrades was in danger. Still it was a bit disturbing what kind of force Naruto had deemed necessary. Though he knew why. Clearly, the Uchiha and Naruto were now lovers.

The red head didn't really know much about relationships between two men. It didn't bother him though. He didn't understand romantic relationships between a man and a woman much better. So it was all strange to him, any way he looked at it.

"I understand. It seems as though that prick is not going to be part of our discussion." Gaara muses.

"You can say that again!" Naruto says.

Sasuke watches Gaara warily. The last time that they had seen each other, things hadn't gone so well. The red head still had the demon and had been trying to kill hi. Sasuke had Chidoried him. Yeah. To put it mildly, they weren't exactly the best of friends.

"It's alright, Sasuke. We may have had our differences in the past, but that was mostly due to my demon. The demon is gone now and you are clearly precious to Naruto. I'm not going to hurt my friend's lover." The Kazekage says.

"Glad to hear it, even if you are a bit delusional. You don't seriously think that you could hurt me, do you?" The raven haired ninja inquires.

Gaara felt himself smirk. That was the Uchiha he remembered. The one that had no fear. They were still similar in that way.

"I presume if you are asking me to recognize this village, you aren't planning on going back to the Leaf?" The young leader asks.

"No. Not really. I don't think they'd let us back in. Even if they did, well things are really complicated now." The blue eyed ninja admits.

"Yes, I can see that. Well I'll have a look around the village and see. There are generally some minimum criteria that have to be met. You're my friend, so I will grant some leniency. Still there is a certain threshold that would have to be met, if I want to maintain my credibility." The Sand Ninja warns him.

Naruto nods. Yeah. He figured that much. Still the fact that Gaara was here meant that they had a real chance.

They could start a "new" village. He and Sasuke could start over. They could start a new life together and never have to worry about the Leaf again. Things would be perfect. Hell, Sasuke and Itachi might even be able to reconcile. Miracles could happen.

"Yeah. I totally get it." Naruto says as he starts showing the red head around.

Sasuke follows and Gaara notes the way that the two were walking in sync. That combined with how passionately they had been kissing and the fact that Naruto had literally killed for the Uchiha, told him all he needed to know. They were no longer two separate people, but one person with two bodies.

"You Mated." He states simply.

"How'd you know that?" Sasuke asks suspiciously.

"I had a demon inside me, just like Naruto did. Occasionally, he would ramble on about topics that didn't include killing. Besides killing and food, finding a Mate was probably what he talked about the most." The red head admits.

Sasuke blinks. He glances at Naruto. Idly, he wondered if Kyuubi had been as insistent on the topic or if the red head had just been "lucky."

"Yeah. Kurama didn't really start doing that until pretty recently. I guess I was a bit of a late bloomer. Now he never shuts up about it." The blue eyed ninja confesses.

Ah ha! The youngest Uchiha knew that that damn fox was talking about him to Naruto. He knew it!

"Ah I suppose it probably varies a bit from demon to demon. Anyway, I am happy for the two of you. He did make it sound like a wonderful experience." The red head muses as he looks around curiously.

The Sound was bigger than he expected. Certainly, it had the numbers to be an official village. Still there was more to being a Ninja Village than just having a large enough population, but that was an important criteria that had to be met if you were really going to get anywhere.

"Do you know of anyone who formerly can lay claim to this land, besides this Nation's respective Daimyo?" The Kazekage asks.

Naruto pauses. He had honestly never thought about it before. He looks at Sasuke a bit helplessly. Luckily, the raven haired ninja was a bit more well versed in such matters.

"It's unclaimed. That's why Orochimaru was able to use it for so long and so easily. From a legality standpoint, there aren't any issues." Sasuke assures him.

"Good. Do you have a hospital?" The young Kage continues.

Naruto nods. Yeah. They had a hospital. That they definitely had. There was no way that Orochimaru was going to have a village without labs for Kabuto to conduct his creepy experiments.

"Yeah. We have that too." The blonde sasys.

"Those are all good signs. What about your economic situation?" Gaara inquires.

"Stable. We have what we need. Unless we can get access to our inheritances, we won't be considered a wealthy enough nation to be a major threat. But we aren't living in poverty either." Sasuke says.

Gaara nods as he considers this. Well so far it looked like it would meet the criteria. Still it wouldn't hurt to get a better look.

The red head was a very young Kage. He would be putting his reputation on the line by endorsing this village. This could end very well or very badly. Gaara just wanted to be sure that he was making the right choice. That was all.


	17. That Jutsu

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naruto and Sasuke are going to use a certain Jutsu very creatively.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews. Well, all the votes have been tallied. We're going to use the Sexy Jutsu very creatively in this one. Happy reading.

By the end of the day, Gaara had examined the Sound from top to bottom. Technically, it did meet all the criteria. There was never any requirement that new ninja villages be compromised of only upstanding citizens. So while he knew the other Kages were likely to frown on his decision, legally they couldn't raise effective objections.

"I'll help the Sound be formally recognized." The Kazekage says after awhile.

"Really?! That's great news!" Naruto says brightly and he swings Sasuke around happily.

Gaara blinks at that unusual sight. He couldn't believe that the Uchiha was allowing himself to be swung around like a rag doll. That was even harder to process than the fact that he and Naruto were lovers in the first place.

"Thanks, Gaara. You have no idea what this means to us. It's the chance to start over." Sasuke says as he casts a grateful look towards the red head and kisses Naruto's cheek affectionately.

"You're welcome. I do hope that this ends up bringing you both happiness. I have to admit that I do have my misgivings. Your village is very…open about sexuality by the way. I must have encountered at least three pairs of lovers while I was examining the place." The red head states.

Sasuke chuckles at that. Yes, that had been one of the first things that he had noticed as well. Over the years, he had gotten used to it.

"Yes, I'd probably "forget" to mention that fact while you are recognizing us formally. I don't think that level of detail is required anyway." Sasuke says smoothly.

"Thankfully, it isn't. That is a fact that we should certainly be grateful for. Otherwise, this would become rather awkward for all of us." Gaara muses.

Naruto nods in agreement. The blonde couldn't be more happy. Gaara was going to recognize the Sound. That meant that the Leaf would be far less likely to pick a fight with him and Sasuke. Which in turn meant that they could live their life without fear of a war brewing.

The youngest Uchiha shoots a small smile at his Mate. He could feel what Naruto was feeling. To say that the blonde was happy, would have been an understatement.

"Do you mind, if I check out the hospital?" Gaara inquires.

"Oh yeah! Sure! Go ahead! That's not a problem. Feel free to look around as much as you want." The blue eyed ninja says and the Kazekage heads off to do exactly that.

It didn't take long for the sound of shattering windows to be heard. Sand was pouring out of the hospital room. Immediately, Sasuke and Naruto rush into the hospital to see what was going on.

"Gaara, are you alright? What was with the shattering windows?" The Jinchuuriki asks in concern.

"Itachi and Kisame are here. If they are here, the rest of the Akatsuki may be lurking nearby. Be careful, Naruto." Gaara replies as he forms a shield of sand around the threesome.

Sasuke sighs. He smacks his forehead in frustration. Damn it. How didn't they think of this? Of course, Gaara was going to react negatively to the sight of Itachi and Kisame. They had been partially responsible for his death!

"Why don't either of you look concerned about the fact that two Akatsuki members are in this room with us?" The Kazekage demands.

"Oh look, it's Red! Hey, Red! Nice to see you again. Hmm. You are looking more feisty than I remember you being last time. Of course, that's probably because you were dying." Kisame says merrily.

Itachi shakes his head. His lover was certainly not helping the situation. Kisame was Kisame though. He couldn't resist taunting people. It didn't matter how inappropriate it might be.

"I'm going to kill you." Gaara hisses at the Akatsuki member.

"I'd like to see you try, Red. Really. Come on. Show me what you got. You must have at least a couple good moves to be a Kage at this age. They weren't good enough against Deidara though, were they?" He continues.

"Doesn't really matter. I killed Deidara." Sasuke says with a shrug and Naruto smirks as he remembered that battle. (Sasuke had kicked some serious tail there).

Gaara's eyes widen in shock at that little announcement. The Uchiha had killed his kidnapper? He winces as he was forced to mentally correct himself for the sake of accuracy. The youngest Uchiha had killed his kidnapper? Sasuke must have gotten much stronger since the last time he met him. Of course, that was only to be expected to a certain degree. But this was ridiculous.

"I see. Well thank you for taking out the trash for me." Gaara growls as he remembered the eccentric ninja who had cost him his life.

"Anytime. Believe me, I was more than happy to do it." The raven haired man assures him.

Itachi smirks. He had to admit that he was proud of his brother. While he wasn't that fond of Deidara, the man was a powerful ninja in his own right. The Akatsuki wouldn't have recruited him, if he was weak. So the fact that Sasuke had ended him, was impressive.

"You've grown well, Sasuke." Itachi comments.

"Thank you, but that's really not the point." The younger Uchiha points out and Itachi nods his head in agreement.

Oh boy. Naruto didn't know how he was possibly going to explain this to Gaara. The entire situation was crazy. He barely understood it and he had been there while it was happening.

"Yeah. Um this is really complicated, but basically Itachi was forced to conduct the Uchiha Massacre or another Great Ninja War might have been triggered. We recently just found out the truth. So Kisame and Itachi are sorta good guys now." The blonde stammers in a rush.

Gaara responded better to that than the blue eyed ninja had expected really. Instead of attacking the Akatsuki members or insisting that Naruto was being tricked, he just stared at the other man as if he had grown two heads. It was as if the Kazekage couldn't believe what he was hearing. (To be fair, who could really blame him?)

"And you believe them? You really believe that Itachi was forced to commit genocide and that those two are can be trusted?!" He demands incredulously.

"It's complicated, but trust me when I say that we have proof. I'm not entirely certain if they can be trusted, but they haven't done anything that suggests otherwise since we took them in." Sasuke says.

The Kazekage just stares dumbstruck at the youngest Uchiha. He couldn't believe that apparently Sasuke was willing to forgive what Itachi for what he had done. The red head truly didn't know if he could have been nearly as forgiving. Itachi might have done it to prevent a war, but he had still slain most of his family.

Gaara had committed many horrible acts in his life. Genocide wasn't one of them. It could have been, had he never met Naruto though.

"Naruto, do you trust them?" He whispers.

"I trust them for now. Like I said, it's a really long story." The blonde tells him.

The red head looked less than thrilled at that answer. He glares at Itachi and Kisame. They had been his killers and now they were supposedly trustworthy? That clearly didn't sit right with him for obvious reasons.

"If you trust them, I trust them. I should get going. I have much work to do. It is quite the involved process to recognize a new ninja village. You wouldn't believe the amount of paperwork and posturing that goes into it. This will take months." The Kazekage states bluntly.

Naruto rubs the back of his head sheepishly. He hadn't wanted to make things difficult for his friend. The blonde had just wanted a way to be with Sasuke without worrying about the Leaf getting involved.

"Sorry about that. If you ever need anything, you know that I got your back." The blue eyed ninja says.

Gaara smiles. He believed Naruto when the other man said that. The Kazekage doubted that there was a more honest person in all the Five Nations.

"I know. Thank you, my friend. I shall take my leave now. There is much work that needs to be done." The young Kage says as he disappears in a swirl of sand.

"Well one can't fault him when it comes to dramatic exits." Itachi observes.

Sasuke nods in agreement. He had to give Gaara that much. The red head could be unintentionally theatrical. It was a gift really.

* * *

Three months later, Naruto paces nervously outside of the operating room. He couldn't believe that the big day had finally arrived. Kabuto was performing the eye transplants. Sasuke was going to get Itachi's eyes and the elder Uchiha brother was going to get Haku's.

How Kabuto had gotten Haku's eyes and managed to preserve them in mint condition was something that the Jinchuuriki didn't want to know. That medic was creepy as Hell. Naruto usually decided it was better not to ask Kabuto too many questions about where he acquired all his medical "supplies." It was better that way for the sake of his sanity.

"Alright, you can stop wearing a hole in the carpet, Naruto." Kabuto says as he steps outside of the operating room.

The blonde was not particularly happy about the fact that the other ninja's surgical robes had blood on them. How much of that was Sasuke's and how much of it was Itachi's? It didn't look like it was nearly enough to be fatal, but it was far too much for him to be comfortable with.

"Is he okay?" The blonde demands.

"Yes, the transplants went off beautifully. They are both in recovery, but you can see him. That goes for you as well, Kisame." Kabuto says as he glances behind Naruto at the blue skinned man.

That was all it took. Kisame and Naruto raced inside the operating room and were soon at their lovers' sides. Kabuto blinks at their speed. It was rather impressive really.

"How are you feeling?" Naruto asks Sasuke.

"Dizzy. Disoriented. I'm grateful though. The drugs are keeping the pain at bay for now." Sasuke answers honestly.

Itachi chuckles at Kisame's fussing. In a way, it was rather cute. Still he decided to put his mind at ease as quickly as possible.

"Kisame, I'm fine. It will take awhile for the bandages to come off, but the operation was a success." The elder Uchiha assures him.

"Thank God for that. You put me through quite a scare there, Itachi. Four Eyes wouldn't let me come into the operating room. I don't trust that creep." The Criminal Ninja says.

Itachi couldn't disagree with Kisame about that. He didn't trust Kabuto either. Still the man had the Curse Seal on him. It wasn't as though the silver haired medic could purposely screw up the operation.

"I don't trust him either, but the man knows what he's doing when it comes to surgery." Itachi assures him.

"Good. If he messed you up, I would have killed him." Kisame says.

"Yeah. I second that motion, but for Sasuke instead of Itachi." The blonde chimes in.

Sasuke smiles. He tilts his head towards Naruto. He couldn't see his Mate, but he could hear him. The youngest Uchiha could also feel him. That was one of the perks of the Bond.

"You are such a loser, but I love you anyway." He murmurs.

"I love you too, bastard. You need to take it easy though. That was a Hell of an operation that you just went through. Don't push yourself too hard. Let me take care of you and help you get better. Don't be stubborn, for once." Naruto insists.

Sasuke would have rolled his eyes, if he could have. That was such a Naruto response. He knew that his Mate was only saying such things because he was worried though. It was touching in an annoying way.

"Yes, Naruto. I'm going to take it easy. Well at least until the bandages come off. I'm not stupid enough to overdo it and fuck up this set of eyes." Sasuke assures him.

"Good. I was rather attached to them." Itachi informs Sasuke.

Naruto twitches. He really wasn't sure how he felt about Itachi at the moment. He still didn't want the other man anywhere near Sasuke, but he wouldn't argue with his lover. If Sasuke wanted Itachi around, then he'd just watch the elder Uchiha like a hawk.

He wasn't going to get a chance to hurt Sasuke ever again. It didn't matter if it was intentionally or unintentionally. Naruto wasn't going to let it happen.

"Get some rest." Naruto tells Sasuke and kisses his forehead.

"You're pretty bossy today." Sasuke notes in amusement.

"Yeah. I get bossy when it comes to your health. You better believe it. I'll see you later, okay? You need your sleep." The blonde whispers.

Sasuke merely nods. He yawns and curls further into his blankets. The drugs were still messing with him. Sleep sounded like a really good idea at the moment, now that he thought about it.

"That goes double for you, Itachi. I know how stubborn you can be." Kisame instructs him as he places a gentle kiss on his lips.

Itachi would have rolled his eyes, if he could have. Really? He was the stubborn one? He wasn't half as stubborn as his lover was. Still he found himself returning the kiss.

"I will. I'll see you tomorrow, Kisame. All I want to do right now is sleep." The patient assures him.

"Good. I'll check on you, first thing in the morning." Kisame says as he walks off with Naruto.

Naruto glances at Kisame. In a way, they had a lot in common. They were both in love with very stubborn Uchihas. It was weird to have so much in common with a man who looked like he was part shark.

"Something on your mind, brat?" Kisame asks.

"I'm not a brat and I was just thinking. We are kinda alike. We're both in love with Uchihas. Really fucking stubborn Uchihas." The blonde says with a grin.

Kisame laughs at that. Well the brat had a point there. Maybe Itachi's kid brother had made a good choice when it came to choosing a lover. Perhaps he wasn't so foolish after all.

"Yeah. I guess we really are a matching set, when you put it that way." He agrees.

* * *

The next day, Sasuke had been moved to another hospital room. It was agreed that it was probably best to let the brother recover in separate rooms now that they were stable. Naruto had kept his promise as was currently sitting in a chair by his Mate's bedside.

"You know if we were in a regular marriage, I think this would fall under the sickness and health part." Sasuke muses.

"Oh haha. Very funny, bastard." Naruto says as he brushes the bangs out of his lover's eyes.

"Yes, I thought so too. Glad that your sense of humor is improving. Usually you laugh at the tackiest shit that I have ever heard." The raven haired man says smugly.

Naruto bites his lower lip. Sasuke was in a good mood. He was also still recovering from his surgery. That meant that now was probably the best time to ask. If he asked any other time, he'd be far more likely to be a Chidori to his nuts for his trouble.

"You know how you want kids, right?" Naruto asks.

"Mhm. Don't worry. We'll find a suitable surrogate when the time is right. It shouldn't be that hard." Sasuke assures him.

"Yeah. Well I want kids too. I mean I really like the idea of us having a family together, but I think I have a better idea than surrogacy." The blonde says.

Sasuke raises an eyebrow. God only knows what kind of crazy idea, Naruto had dreamed up in his head. He could sense through the Bond that his lover was very nervous about telling him whatever it was though.

"I'm listening. What did you have in mind exactly?" The raven haired ninja inquires cautiously.

"You know that I would do anything for you, but it'd be hard for me. It'd be hard for me to see someone else carrying your baby. That's something that we can't give each other, well at least not like this. You remember the Sexy Jutsu, right?" The other ninja asks nervously.

Sasuke tilts his head to the side. Now he had absolutely no idea where Naruto was going with this. He wasn't entirely certain that he wanted to know. Curiosity won out in the end though. He had to ask.

"Yes, I remember the Sexy Jutsu. That Jutsu that lets you become a woman so you can distract perverts. What about it?" Sasuke asks.

"Well we have the chakra reserves. Either of us could hold it long enough. I had Kabuto run some tests. I gave him a sample of your chakra and had him analyze me in that form. He says that either of us could carry a child to term in that form. Everything…works. It's not just wrapping paper. Internally in that form, you are a woman in every way possible. All the parts are there." He says.

Sasuke blinks. He THOUGHT he knew where Naruto was going with this now. He just wasn't entirely sure how to react to it.

"So you are saying that you want to become a woman long enough to carry our child and then you'd change back? Naruto, I'm not sure that's such a good idea. The Seal weakens during childbirth. The Nine Tails would get out and besides, I'm not sure that I could _perform._ I'm just not attracted to women. I love you, but women just don't arouse my _interest_." Sasuke tells him.

"Yeah. I know that you aren't attracted to women, but I'm different than you. I like both. I love you most, but it really doesn't matter to me if you are a man or a woman. You're my bastard. It doesn't matter to me if you have a pouch or a kunai. Besides, you're right. Kurama would get out. So if we did this, you would have to be the "mother." Well at least for a little while." Naruto stammers in a rush.

Sasuke gapes at Naruto. He couldn't believe that the blonde would even suggest something like that. Well actually, he could. It was Naruto. Crazy ideas went with the territory of being the blonde's Mate.

He couldn't even be angry. Sasuke was just stunned. The raven haired ninja didn't even know how to respond to that.

"You want me to become a woman and get pregnant." Sasuke says slowly and Naruto nods.

"I don't know what to say to that. I always knew you were unpredictable, but this is strange even for you." The youngest Uchiha says.

Naruto bites his lower lip. Sasuke wasn't angry. He'd be able to feel anger through their bond. His lover had definitely been thrown for a loop though.

"If you don't like the idea, we can just forget about it. I just thought that it might be nice if our children had a piece of both of us inside them. That and this way, I won't have to get jealous of whoever is carrying your baby. Oh and it has some advantages. I mean who would you trust more with our children than yourself?" The Dominant Mate inquires cautiously.

Sasuke takes a deep breath. Naruto was his Mate. He should at least hear him out. Yes, his idea was crazy, but he had proposed it out of love.

"I reluctantly admit that you have a couple of good points." He says with a sigh.

"Really?" Naruto asks hopefully.

"Is it painful to do that stupid jutsu? Doesn't it feel weird?" Sasuke replies.

He couldn't believe that he was actually considering this. It was completely crazy. Then again, he was Mated to a man who had a fox demon inside him. Maybe crazy was relative.

"Nah. It's not painful. I mean it'd probably a little unsettling if you looked down a lot, but I never did. I mean I wasn't in that form too long. I've had Kabuto run all sorts of tests. It's completely safe. While you are in that form, it will be exactly as if you were born a girl. Everything works." Naruto assures him.

"You know Itachi would never let me live this down, right?" The youngest Uchiha demands.

Naruto sighs. Yeah. He figured that Sasuke's pride was going to be the biggest obstacle to overcome, if he agreed to this. He couldn't entirely blame his Mate. He was asking an awful lot of him.

"If he says anything stupid to you, I can knock his head off just as easily as I did Sanzara. No one messes with my Mate. Well except me." Naruto states firmly.

Sasuke found himself smiling, despite the strange situation. Naruto was such a romantic. Well he was a romantic in his own _unique_ way. He didn't doubt for a second that the blonde would do anything for him.

He had put Naruto through a lot of pain. Through it all, the other man had never given up on him. Naruto had always forgiven him, no matter what he did. Maybe this was karma's way of getting back at him for being a bastard to his lover.

"Alright. I'll do it, but I have conditions." Sasuke says firmly.

"Conditions? Um okay. What are your conditions?" The blonde asks.

"While I'm a woman, I'm the Dominant Mate. What I say goes. It's bad enough that my kunai is going to be missing. I'm not going to let you order me around in that form." He mutters.

**_"I don't particularly care for that condition. I suppose it's only fair, but if she gets too out of line, we are still going to establish our dominance. You should let him know that."_** Kurama says.

"Yeah. Kurama's not too crazy about that one. He agrees on the condition that if you do anything too crazy, we can still balance the scales." The blonde ninja replies.

Sasuke pauses as he considers that. After a moment, he nods his head. He could deal with that.

"Fine. I'm definitely not going to have a natural birth. C-section. I know what childbirth is like for women and I'd rather have to face Itachi's tsukuyomi than go through that." The Submissive Mate argues.

"Yeah. That's fine. I totally get that. Lots of women have c-sections though usually there is a medical need." Naruto says.

"There is a medical need. It's for your own safety really." Sasuke says.

Naruto gulps. Yeah. It was probably best to just let Sasuke have his way on this one. He didn't even want to know what the other m an would do otherwise.

"Deal. So that's it? You wanna be a dominatrix and have a c-section?" Naruto asks.

"Mostly. There will be absolutely NO pictures of me like that and you can forget about me wearing lingerie." Sasuke warns him.

Naruto couldn't help but laugh at the expression on Sasuke's face. It was priceless. He stops laughing when he realizes Sasuke was giving him one Hell of a Death Glare though.

"Alright. No pictures and no lingerie. Works for me. I can handle that." The blue eyed ninja says.

"Good. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'll do it. For about nine months anyway, I'll be your wife. Sorta." Sasuke mutters and Naruto beams as he hugs his bastard closely to his chest.

"I love you. You know that, right?" He asks.

"Yes, I know that. I love you too. I wouldn't do this for anyone else and don't you dare make me regret it." Sasuke says with a sigh as he cuddles into his Mate.


	18. Adjustments

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sasuke is adjusting to well, everything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews. Well, it looks like we're going with Sexy Jutsu Sasuke for a bit. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this chapter.
> 
> Chapter Notation: While Sasuke is in Sexy Jutsu form, I will refer to Sasuke as she/her, unless there is a desire to still refer to him as a male while he's in female form. I think that it's just easier that way. Don't worry, he will go back to being male eventually.

A few days later, Sasuke eyes Naruto warily. He couldn't believe that he was actually going to go through with this. Still he had said that he would. If he backed out now, he'd look like a coward. Sasuke Uchiha was many things, but a coward was not one of them.

"Alright. Show me how you do your Sexy Jutsu." The raven haired ninja cautiously instructs Naruto.

"It's really simple. I came up with it when I was a kid. So this should be easy for someone with the Sharingan to copy." Naruto assures him as he performs the eccentric jutsu and transforms into a hot, busty blonde.

Sasuke makes a face. He much preferred his version of Naruto. Unfortunately, he was forced to mentally acknowledge that most men would be very interested in the female version of Naruto.

"You're right. That looks easy enough. Don't you dare laugh." Sasuke warns him.

"I'm not going to laugh. I promise." Naruto says.

They were in their room. Sasuke didn't want to risk anyone walking in on them. Naruto could understand that. This was pretty embarrassing for his Mate. Honestly, the blonde was shocked that he had agreed to do it at all.

"I can't believe I'm doing this. Sexy Jutsu!" Sasuke says as he performs the necessary hand signs.

A giant puff of smoke wrapped itself around Sasuke. When the smoke clear, Naruto was stunned. No way. Well he had always said that Sasuke was too beautiful to be a man, but this was ridiculous.

Sasuke's hair was now much longer. It reached all the way down to her slender waist in raven black strands. It seemed that "she" had partially inherited Madara's mane. Sasuke's hair had a slightly feral, spiky texture to it. Though it was nowhere near as fearsome looking as her ancestor.

"How do I look?" Sasuke asks in a distinctly feminine voice.

Naruto had always envied Sasuke's velvety voice. Even when they were kids, he had thought it was really cool. Sasuke's voice was still Sasuke-like, but it was different at the same time. Now it was much softer and felt more like a silken caress to the ears.

The changes didn't stop there though. Somehow the youngest Uchiha's ivory pale skin looked even more creamy and soft now. Instead of having clouds placed tastefully across her breasts and womanhood, she had flames. The flames didn't seem to be bothering her though.

"You look amazing. Sakura and Tsunade would be so jealous, if they could see you now." Naruto assures her.

His Mate now had an hourglass figure. Her breasts were large and shapely, thought obscured by the flames. She had a toned stomach, but it lacked the well defined abs that Sasuke had formerly possessed in his male form. In addition, his lover now had wide womanly hips that fanned out into a rather shapely backside and a pair of lovely, long legs.

Sasuke's facial features were softer now and her lips were fuller. She also had longer eyelashes. There was also another key difference. The female version of Sasuke would be damn lucky to come up to Naruto's neck.

"Naruto, it's not a beauty contest. I'm not competing with them." Sasuke lightly scolds him.

"Well that's good for them. You are such a bastard, you know that? You just have to be gorgeous in either form." Naruto says as he walks over to his Mate and wraps his arms around Sasuke.

That might not have been his brightest idea. Naruto yelps when the flames lick his skin and he jumps back. That wasn't fun.

"That's what happens when you play with fire." Sasuke says smugly.

"Yeah. I guess I kinda deserved that one. You can turn the flames off though. You just have to want them to disappear and they will. At least that's how it works with the clouds." The blonde explains.

Sasuke nods as she considers this. The raven haired woman bites her lower lip as she does so and sighs. Deep down, she knew that she was being silly, but she didn't want to release the flames. Not yet. It was too embarrassing.

**_"He, well she, is embarrassed. I can't blame Sasuke. This can't be easy for them. I think our Mate needs some reassurance. You are never going to have kits, if she's too embarrassed to even be seen by you."_** Kurama reasons.

Naruto nods. If there was one emotion coming off his Mate in waves, it was definitely embarrassment. Clearly, he was going to have to do something about this.

"Sasuke, lower the flames. I can't hug you with those wrapped around you. That and I never thought I'd be jealous of fire. I should be the only thing wrapped around you." Naruto says.

"I thought that we agreed that I would be the Dominant Mate, while I was like this. You shouldn't be so bossy." Sasuke states smugly.

God help him, there was something really fucking adorable about a smug female Sasuke. In her male form, it made Naruto shiver with anticipation. Now he just wanted to tackle her.

"Yeah. You're right. I did agree to that. Will you please lower the flames? I just want to hold you. You're my Mate. You have NOTHING to be embarrassed about. You're gorgeous in either form. Actually, I kinda think your Sexy Jutsu is better than mine is. Showoff." Naruto says.

"That's better." Sasuke says as she cautiously lowers the flames.

That was apparently all the consent that Naruto needed. He easily pulls the petite Uchiha into his arms and holds her closely. Sasuke felt himself blush at this gesture.

This was ridiculous. She never blushed. Maybe women just blushed easier?

"Yeah. Much better. See? You don't need to be shy. God, you're beautiful. Maybe I'm not bisexual. I might just be Sasuke-sexual." Naruto muses as he glances down at his Mate VERY appreciatively.

"Naruto, that is not a thing." Sasuke informs him, but smiles as she leans into her Mate's embrace.

Oh this was nice. Her new form definitely liked being wrapped in her Mate's arms. She felt safe and cherished. And when did Naruto get so warm? It was like being cocooned in a warm blanket.

**_"That's much better. She's far calmer now. Though as much as I loathe to say this, I think it would be best to hold off on actually mounting her just yet. She needs some time to get used to this new form."_** Kurama advises him.

**"Yeah. You're right. I hope she gets used to it fast though. Damn. Hopefully, Sasuke wants lots of kids. I can't decide which form I like better."** Naruto answers him.

"You must really like this form. You definitely still want me." Sasuke observes in a tone that was halfway between smug and relieved.

"I'll always want you. Always. It doesn't matter what form you take. You're my Mate. My perfect Mate. I'm not going to lie though. I want you. Really fucking badly right now." Naruto answers her in a lustful growl.

Sasuke shivers. The youngest Uchiha had always loved it when Naruto growled. Apparently, that hadn't changed after temporarily becoming a woman.

She licks her lower lip nervously as she considers the best way to respond to that. Her Submissive Instincts were a lot louder in this form. Sasuke assumed that had something to do with the fact that now she could get pregnant, but that didn't mean she was going to make it too easy for him. She was still an Uchiha, no matter what her gender was. She had her pride.

"Mmm that's really sweet. Keep begging like that and I might consider it." Suki says as she saunters over to the closet and starts looking for something to wear.

**"What the Hell?! Oh that is not fair! She totally did that sauntering thing on purpose. Sasuke has to know how much I like it when he does that. I mean he can feel it through the bond, right? I mean she can feel it through the bond, right?"** Naruto asks.

**_"Yes, she can feel it. She's being an evil cocktease. I guess that doesn't change, no matter what gender our Mate is."_** Kurama grumbles in annoyance.

Sasuke smirks as he looks through the clothes. She could feel every bit of Naruto's frustration. It was fun to tease him. It made her feel more in control of everything. Idly, she wonders just how far she could push Naruto.

"You're getting some sort of sick kick out of teasing me, aren't you?" Naruto growls.

"A little. Yeah. It's fun. Besides, you promised that I would get to be the Dominant Mate. I might as well take advantage of it." Sasuke says as he grabs one of Naruto's shirts and tries it on.

She glances at herself in the mirror and blinks. What was a shirt for Naruto was apparently a dress for her. Sasuke frowns as she realizes just how much smaller she was in this form.

"Yeah. You're smaller. I kinda like it though. I could easily throw you over my shoulder with one arm." Naruto says, sensing the direction of her thoughts

"You are such a caveman." Sasuke mutters and rolls her eyes.

"Maybe, but only for you." The blonde says as he sneaks up behind his Mate and wraps his arms around her tiny waist.

Sasuke smiles and leans back into Naruto's hold. It was a surreal experience to see a female version of himself, wrapped tightly in her Mate's loving embrace. This was going to take some getting used to.

"It better be only for me. Well I guess I should probably go check on Itachi. I really don't think it's a good idea to leave him and Kisame alone for too long. They could start plotting or something. Besides, you should try to get in touch with Gaara." Sasuke says as she saunters off.

**"Yeah. She definitely does that on purpose. Tease."** Naruto sulks as he watches his Mate's retreating form.

Damn, Sasuke had a great ass. It didn't matter if it was male or female. It was talking all his self-control not to follow her and pounce. Though he had that response to Sasuke's male form as well. Sasuke was just very pounce-able.

* * *

A few minutes later, Kisame blinks after answering the door. Standing in the doorway, was a really hot chick. A chick that bore a disturbing resemblance to Sasuke.

"Sasuke?" He asks uncertainly.

"Yeah. It's me. It's a long story. I thought I should check up on you guys and brief you about well…everything." The youngest Uchiha mutters.

Itachi gets up when he hears his lover speaking to someone at the door. Naturally, he was going to investigate. He blinks at what he saw.

"My foolish little…sister?" The elder Uchiha asks in confusion and Sasuke just nods.

"Naruto and I want kids. So we are using a jutsu of his that transforms a man into a woman. He can't carry our baby to term because childbirth weakens the Seal that holds the Nine Tails in place. One word Itachi, just one word and I swear I will make sure that I'm not the only one who is dickless." Sasuke warns him.

Itachi blinks. He didn't know whether to be disturbed or impressed by the lengths that Sasuke would go for his lover. He had always known Sasuke was foolish. He just didn't know that Sasuke was THIS foolish.

"Wouldn't it have just been easier to use surrogates?" He asks tactfully.

"Yeah. It would have been easier, but this way I don't have to trust some stranger with the future of our Clan and our child will have a part of both of us inside them." Sasuke reasons.

"Well I suppose that's true. You do make a beautiful woman, Sasuke. Perhaps you should just stay in that form." Itachi says with a smirk.

Sasuke twitches. Oh yeah. He was definitely going to kick Itachi's ass for that stupid comment.

"CHIDORI!" Sasuke roars as she charges at her brother with lightning in her hands.

"Now, now, Sasuke. You should be more levelheaded than that. You have no idea how your body uses chakra like this." Itachi points out and that stops Sasuke in her tracks.

That was a good point. She really didn't know how her body would react to using chakra. Damn it. She probably should have considered that before agreeing to become a woman.

"You're right. I should probably be more careful." Sasuke admits as she dispels her Chidori.

"And out of curiosity, how did Naruto react to your new form? Itachi asks.

"He loves it. Naruto says that I'm perfect no matter what gender I am." Sasuke says smugly.

Itachi knew that it was evil. Still it was his duty as a big brother to tease Sasuke. He supposed it didn't matter whether Sasuke was his little brother or his little sister. Certain things were universal.

"Well they say love is blind. It must be if he thinks you're perfect. Your temper alone, should disqualify you from that adjective." Itachi taunts.

On second thought, maybe she should try to fire off a Chidori after all. Itachi was clearly asking for it. Maybe it would be worth it.

* * *

Meanwhile Naruto was speaking with Gaara. The Kazekage currently spent much of his time traveling between the Sand and the Sound. It wasn't easy getting everything ready to formally recognize a new ninja village.

"Well it looks like everything in on track. Really, now it is just a question of timing more than anything." Gaara muses.

"That's great news. Maybe I should have Sasuke change back for a bit. He'll probably want to be present at the ceremony in his true form." The blonde says.

Gaara raises an eyebrow. He was almost scared to ask what Naruto meant by that. Despite his hesitation, he decides to ask anyway.

"What do you mean by his true form?" The Kazekage asks warily.

"Well it's kinda a long story. Please don't laugh or pick on her. This is embarrassing enough for Sasuke to go through without anyone giving her a hard time. Sasuke is using the Sexy Jutsu so we can have kids together." Naruto explains.

The red head blinks. Sasuke had become a woman. The Kazekage shakes his head as he tries to process that. No, he couldn't do it.

"Yes, that would probably be a good idea. He'll want to be there in person. Well I would have him change back, as long as Sasuke isn't already pregnant. He…she isn't, is she?" The Kazekage asks.

"Oh no. Definitely not. I'm good, but I'm not that good. Today was the first time that Sasuke tried the Sexy Jutsu. We haven't had time to make any attempts yet." The blonde explains sheepishly.

"Good to know. Well, I have to admit that I am rather disturbed by this. Are you sure that it's safe for a man to carry a baby to term while using this Jutsu? What's the longest that you've ever used it?" The young Kage inquires.

Naruto could understand Gaara's concern. He had had the same worries himself. Still the blonde never would have asked Sasuke to do this, if he didn't know that it was completely safe. Naruto would never endanger his Mate.

"It's safe. I had Kabuto run all sorts of tests. I know that this will work." The Jinchuuriki says.

Gaara merely nods his head. He should have known that Naruto would pull something like that. As much as the red head loathed Kabuto, he couldn't deny that the medic was quite skilled when it came to the healing arts.

"That's good. Well I have to admit that I am curious now. Would it be possible for me to see Sasuke? I promise that I won't taunt him. I'm just curious. If she doesn't want to see me, maybe you could give me a picture instead." The red head suggests.

"No! No! Sasuke said that she doesn't want any pictures taken. Um I'll talk to her and see what she says. She's fucking beautiful though. Sasuke is Sasuke. It doesn't matter which form he takes. He's always got to be drop dead gorgeous." Naruto says.

Gaara shakes his head in amusement. Well he'd take Naruto's word for it. While the red head hadn't spent much time pondering his own safety, he knew that he wasn't attracted to men. So he just figured to leave that sort of judging to Naruto, other men who liked men, and women. If Naruto found Sasuke attractive, that was all that really mattered.

"Alright. You should let your Mate know about everything. I'll speak to you later. Let me know how it goes." Gaara says as he departs for the Sand Village.

* * *

Back in the Leaf Village, Tsunade was at her wits' end. Things were becoming more and more dangerous for Naruto and Sasuke. It had become rather apparent that they weren't coming back to the Leaf by choice.

"I don't understand it. Why didn't they come back after they killed Orochimaru? Itachi has gone missing as well. Sasuke must have finally killed him." Sakura says.

"We don't know for a fact that Itachi is dead. It's possible that Sasuke and Naruto are still pursuing him. There is also the rest of Team Taka to consider." The busty blonde points out.

Sakura nods and frowns. She couldn't believe that her two former teammates had been gone for so long. The pink haired woman wanted nothing more than to reunite Team Seven.

Unfortunately, it didn't look like that was going to happen anytime soon. She truly didn't understand what was going on in their minds. If Itachi was still alive, at least their actions would make sense. Sasuke wanted to kill him more than anything. He wanted to avenge his Clan and Naruto would go wherever the youngest Uchiha would go.

"Yeah. Sasuke and Naruto really put together a crazy team." Sakura mutters.

One was a Prodigy in the Art of Murder. Another had a split personality. Finally, there was a woman who could heal people if they bit her and had amazing sensory abilities. That wasn't a team that would be easy to take out.

"My Lady, what are we going to do? Shizune asks.

Tsunade sighs. She didn't have any proof, but she suspected that Gaara may know more than he was letting on about the whereabouts of their two most infamous Missing Nins. Of course, it would be dangerous to accuse another Kage of such a thing without proof.

"I'm not certain. I do want Gaara watched closely though." The medic says.

Sakura stiffens. Gaara? Tsuande though that Gaara was involved somehow? Why would he go behind their backs like that though? The Leaf had helped conduct a rescue mission when the Akatsuki had abducted the red head. Why would he betray them?

"Yes, Lady Tsunade. I'll tell the ANBU to get right on it." Sakura promises.

"Good. Do be discrete though. I don't have any proof and don't want to risk damaging relations with the Sand Village, if I'm wrong." Tsunade says.

"But you don't think you are wrong." The pink haired woman says.

It was a statement. Sakura wasn't asking a question. She knew that Tsunade was confident in her suspicions. In a way, she couldn't help but be proud of her student. Sakura was enormously perceptive.

"You're right. I don't think that I'm wrong. Still it is better to be cautious. We are now engaging in activities that may impact the relations between us and another Ninja Village. This is very dangerous business." She mutters and Sakura nods in agreement, before darting off.

* * *

Elsewhere in the Sound, Naruto goes and finds Sasuke. He didn't like letting his Mate out of his sight for long. He supposed it was his Mating Instincts kicking in. At this point though, he wasn't going to spend too much time questioning why he felt he way he did. Naruto was just glad that he did.

"Hey." Naruto greets his Mate as he wraps his arms around Sasuke.

"Hey. Well I told them. Suigetsu is going to be a major pain in the ass though. I'm going to let you handle that one. He's going to say something stupid and then I'll want to kill him." Sasuke says.

Itachi takes a moment to process the bizarre sight that was his brother getting embraced by his lover, while Sasuke was a woman. Yes, this was going to take some getting used to. The elder Uchiha was almost positive he wouldn't be able to get used to it by the time Sasuke became a "mother."

"You're really bossy as a girl. It's kinda hot though. Alright. I'll deal with him. Don't worry, alright?" The blonde says as he kisses Sasuke's cheek.

"I'm not worried about him. I just don't want to deal with his stupidity and thank you." Sasuke says with a smile as she cuddles into Naruto.

This day just kept getting stranger and stranger. Now Sasuke was snuggling up to Naruto without a care in the world. Itachi wondered if maybe becoming a woman had influence Sasuke's psychology.

His foolish little brother would never be so cuddly. It just wasn't something Uchihas did in public. Apparently though, his little sister would be that cuddly in public.

"Suigetsu is fun though." Kisame says.

"He is not fun. He's annoying as fuck. Sasuke, remind me again why we are keeping them all around?" Naruto asks as he enjoys holding his Mate.

"Because Itachi can help me restore our Clan faster and Kisame is his guard dog? Well guard shark. As far as Suigetsu goes, I wonder that myself sometimes. He's got some useful abilities though." Sasuke answers.

The blonde just shakes his head. He would rather just kick the sword lover out, but he wasn't going to argue with Sasuke. He wanted his Mate to be in as good a mood as possible.

He would very much like the chance to explore his Mate's new form. Sasuke was likely still skittish about everything. So Naruto rationalized that it was important to do everything possible to keep her in a good mood.

"It's late. Let's get some sleep." Naruto suggests.

"Alright. So how did it go with Gaara?" Sasuke asks as the two of them make their way back to their room.

"Pretty good. He says we are ready to go whenever. You might want to change back for the ceremony though. It's totally up to you, of course. Oh and he's kinda curious. Gaara wants to see what you look like when you are like this." Naruto answers.

Sasuke blinks. Oh Hell no. He wasn't going to let the Kazekage see him like this! Naruto was one thing. He was Sasuke's Mate. He didn't even mind some of their fellow Sound Villagers seeing like this, but his dignity would never recover from a foreign Kage seeing him as a woman.

"Judging by the panicked feelings I'm getting from the Bond, I'll take that as a no to the whole letting Gaara see you thing." Naruto says.

"You're damn right. I'm not letting him see me like this." Sasuke grumbles.

Naruto smiles. He pushes Sasuke onto the bed and soon pins her there with her hands over her had. God, she was beautiful. Maybe she had a point. He didn't really want to share her with anyone.

Itachi was her brother. He was safe for Sasuke to be around. Kisame was gay. It wasn't like he was going to make a move on his Mate. So he didn't mind them seeing Sasuke like this. Other straight or bisexual men though, well…that was going to be harder for him to deal with.

"Naruto, you know I can feel all those possessive thoughts of yours, right? That's seriously some Stone Age bullshit!" Sasuke protests.

"Sorry, I can't help it. I love you." He murmurs apologetically and he licks Sasuke's Mating Mark.

"Nhhh!" Sasuke moans and arches underneath Naruto helplessly.

Why did that feel so fucking good? Damn it. It was at that moment that Sasuke realized his feminine form was a Hell of a lot more sensitive than his masculine one and it was likely Naruto knew it. Sometimes having a mind link could be embarrassing, she muses.


	19. Kinda Cute

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Sound is officially recognized as a formal ninja village.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews. I hope you all enjoy this chapter.
> 
> Chapter Notation: Oto means Sound in Japanese. So the Otokage is the Kage of the Sound Village.

A few days later, the big day had finally arrived. The Sound was going to be recognized an official ninja village. Both Mates were dealing with the butterflies that were currently fluttering inside their stomachs rather animatedly. Everyone was nervous about how this would turn out.

"And thus, I recognize the Sound Village. It meets all the formal requirements necessary to legally become an official ninja village." Gaara says from his position on a stage which had been constructed for just that very occasion.

Gaara watches the other Kage and the Daimyos as he gives his speech. He knew that the Kages were less than thrilled about a criminal village being granted legitimacy. The Daimyos as always were more interested in whether or not they could profit monetarily from this latest development. In short, they were in favor of it.

"With that in mind, I would like to present Naruto Uzumaki. He is the first Otokage." Gaara says and there was some applause from the crowd, though most people were too stunned to respond.

"Thanks, Gaara!" Naruto says brightly as he walks onto the stage to join his friend.

Sasuke glances at his Mate and smiles with pride. He wasn't really sure why, but that cape looked really good on his blonde. It was erotic really. He supposed now he understood why some people had a uniform fetish. It did look very nice on him.

The youngest Uchiha had changed back to his male form for the ceremony. None of them wanted to deal with anyone asking who the mysterious woman was that no one had ever seen before. It was just easier this way. That and Sasuke was relieved to be back in his true form. (He was also very relieved to see that EVERYTHING was still as it should be).

"Of course, my friend." The Kazekage says with a nod as he hands Naruto the microphone.

"Well I think you all know why we are here today. I'm not going to bore everyone with a really long speech. Basically, we've decided to turn this into a real village. Orochimaru is gone now. So Sasuke and I will be in charge of it. Our intentions are not to attack any other village, unless they attack us first. The Sound will purely be a place where people can get a fresh start." The blonde says cheerfully.

Sasuke watches Naruto from behind the curtain with pride. For once the fact that he was naïve was actually working in their favor. He could say those things and sound completely believable because he was sincere. Naruto truly just did want a chance for them to start over. It was just naïve of him to think that things were ever going to be that easy though.

"Well one certainly has to give him this much. Naruto has a way of putting a crowd at ease." Itachi whispers and Sasuke nods in agreement.

He really didn't know what to feel towards his elder brother these days. Itachi had been forced commit genocide, but he had still done it. There were moments when Sasuke could almost convince himself that the horrors of the past had never happened. That Itachi was simply his beloved older brother. He knew better though. Sasuke always kept his guard up around the other Uchiha.

Itachi no longer had the Sharingan, but it would be a mistake to underestimate him. While the Sharingan was certainly a wonderful advantage to have in combat, Itachi Uchiha was still a formidable ninja without it. He was also healthy again.

Sasuke was confident that his brother could still take out entire teams of ANBUS with ease, even with Haku's eyes. Itachi still had his intelligence, his speed, and his impressive knowledge of jutsus. He was far from weak and Sasuke reminded himself of that everyday. Underestimating Itachi was a potentially fatal mistake that he had no intention of making.

"Naruto has always been the more extroverted between the two of us." The raven haired ninja admits.

"You used to be rather extroverted when you were younger. I think now that you've found love and have a home, perhaps you'll be that way again someday." The doe eyed man comments.

Sasuke was still not used to seeing Itachi with Haku's eyes. They really were beautiful, but it was just strange. It was strange to see Itachi's face with someone else's eyes. He knew that he'd eventually get used to it though.

"Maybe. I don't really care about the rest of the world though. All I need is Naruto and our family." The young man states.

Jugo places his hand on Sasuke's shoulder comfortingly. He knew exactly what the other man was doing. He was trying to shut out the rest of the world to protect them and himself from pain. He had done that once.

"Does Taka count as your family?" He asks gently.

Sasuke smiles. Jugo was probably the second most loyal person he knew. After Naruto, the ninja doubted there was anyone who was more loyal than the gentle giant.

"Yes, you do. The jury I still out on Suigetsu though." He mutters in annoyance.

"That's fair. He can be really annoying!" Karin pipes up.

Sasuke raises an eyebrow. He wondered when the red head had snuck upon them. He shakes his head and decides it didn't matter. What mattered was that the Sound was being recognized and so was Naruto.

"So yeah. This all about a fresh start. Sasuke and I will be ruling as co-kages. He's the beauty and I'm the brains behind the operation. Sasuke, will you come on out here?" Naruto says.

The youngest Uchiha felt himself twitch. Oh Naruto did NOT just say that! Sasuke couldn't believe that his idiot had said that!

Oh yeah. He'd come out there alright. He was going to kick his Mate's ass. How dare he publicly call him beautiful and try to imply that somehow he was the smarter Mate?! Was he out of his mind? Clearly, Sasuke was the brains in their relationship. Naruto was the heart.

He was also the beauty. How could he not be with those gorgeous sapphire blue eyes of his and those sexy whiskers? Oh and that sun kissed skin and that really big…damn it.

He was letting himself get distracted. What was he planning on doing again? Oh right. He was going to beat his Mate to a bloody pulp.

"Ah there he is!" Naruto says happily when his Mate comes out.

He mentally gulps. Sasuke was not very happy about that beauty crack. Naruto had meant it as a compliment, but it looked like his lover had taken it the wrong way. Shit.

"Yes, we will be ruling this village together. You'll have to forgive, Naruto. Clearly, he got our roles mixed up." Sasuke says after yanking the microphone out of his beloved's hands.

There were loud gasps from the crowd as the meaning of Sasuke's response began to sink in. The Otokage hadn't been kidding. They had all thought Naruto was joking about Sasukse being the beauty, but it looked like they were actually together.

"Awe. Did you really just call me beautiful? That was really sweet of you, bastard." Naruto says with a grin.

"Naruto, that really wasn't the point." Sasuke growls at him.

That was when the blonde realized something strange was going on with the crowd. They were getting a lot of funny looks. He couldn't for the life of him figure out what was wrong though. So he asks Kurama.

**"Kurama, do you know what's up with the crowd? They've gotten really quiet. It's starting to freak me out a little."** He asks.

**_"They just realized that you and Sasuke are Mates. They're in shock. I'm not entirely certain how many of them will approve of your relationship in all honesty. Humans can be rather strange when it comes to their views on sexuality. Most ninjas look the other way when two men or two women are together behind closed doors or while they are on missions. It's different when you are publicly proclaiming your love though."_** The Nine Tails explains.

Naruto blinks. Oh. So that's what their problem was. They were shocked that he and Sasuke were together. That was okay though. He could fix that.

After all, they had just gotten the Kazekage to formally recognize a criminal village as a legitimate one. He and Sasuke could do anything. People would just have to get used to it.

"And yes, Sasuke is MY Mate. If anyone has a problem with that, they can take it up with my Rasengan." Naruto informs he crowd and kisses Sasuke.

Sasuke's eyes widen as he kisses back. He wasn't sure what he had been expecting, but it hadn't been this. He hadn't expected to get sneak attacked with kisses.

The crowd wisely shuts up and watches the spectacle. There could be no doubting the nature of their relationship now. Only lovers kissed like that.

"As you can see, the Sound Village is anything but boring. Well I think that is really is all that needed to be done today. Meeting adjourned. I hope that you all have found lodging for the night or have a safe journey back to your respective villages." The Kazekage says.

Thankfully, everyone takes that lifeline. It didn't take very long for the ninjas who weren't Sound Villagers to get out of there or head towards their temporary accommodations. No one really wanted to risk earning the wrath of the Nine Tails Fox, Gaara, or the Uchiha. None of them were that suicidal.

"Thanks, Gaara." Sasuke says after breaking his kiss with Naruto.

"Well someone had to step in. I think it's safe to say that this day will be talked about for many years to come." The red head observes with a groan.

"Yeah. That was an awesome save. Thanks for everything, Gaara. You're a really good friend and if you ever need anything, let me know." Naruto exclaims.

The Kazekage nods. At the moment, he couldn't think of anything. One day though, he was sure that Naruto would return the favor.

"I'll be sure to let you know." Gaara assures him.

"Thanks, Gaara. But Naruto, we need to talk about a few things." Sasuke says and the red head very intelligently chooses that moment to wander off.

Naruto gulps. Oh yeah. Sasuke was angry with him. Very angry. Maybe he should kiss his Mating Mark or something and settle him down.

"We never really discussed how public we were going to be with our relationship or when we were going to reveal it. I agreed to have your children though. So I suppose it was a given that eventually everyone was going to know that we are together. Sill that was stupid. I can't believe you were that stupid. You don't just announce something like that in front of everyone on the day that the Sound is becoming a legitimate village!" Sasuke growls at him.

**"Is it wrong that I find it kinda cute when he gets mad?"** Naruto asks.

**_"Well it might not be the smartest choice from the standpoint of self-preservation, but I don't believe so. You really do need to calm your Mate down."_** Kurama reasons.

Sasuke was still tearing into Naruto. The blonde was actually impressed by how colorful his lover's vocabulary was. He must have thrown at least thirty different variations of the word idiot at him.

"Alright. I get it. I should have asked you first. I was just really happy about everything and I wanted to share that with you. Besides, I want people to know that we are together. You're my Mate. If they have a problem with two men being together, then they can take it up with my Rasengan. I love you and I'm not going to hide that to make other people feel better." The blonde insists.

"You really are such an idiot, but I love you. And I'm glad that you feel that way." Sasuke whispers before kissing him.

Naruto smiles and kisses back. Well that was better. He could feel how content and perhaps even a little smug his declaration had made his Mate feel.

"And you really are such a bastard, but I love you anyway. I don't care what they think about it either." He whispers after breaking the kiss.

"You probably should go check on some of the villagers and our visitors. I'll go work on setting up the Otokage Office." Sasuke says as he caresses his Mate's cheek affectionately.

The blonde nods. Sasuke was right. It'd probably be smart to check on how things were going. He was very reluctant to leave his Mate though.

"I'll be back soon and we can celebrate later. Okay?" He asks.

"I know. Just humor them. They need you right now and we both know that you are better at this sort of thing than I am." Sasuke says as he heads off towards where their office would be.

* * *

About an hour later, Sasuke deems that office was presentable and heads back to their room. He just really need some privacy. Sasuke wasn't stupid. He knew that he'd have to get more comfortable in his female form. If he wasn't comfortable looking at himself while he was a woman, then how was he ever going to be comfortable with Naruto touching him?

"Sexy Jutsu." He mutters as he performs the necessary hand seals while standing in front of a mirror.

Now that he had a chance to look at his new form, he could see what Naruto was going on about. Sasuke idly thought that Itachi was right. His elder brother had always told him over the years that he looked a lot more like their mother than their father. As a woman, the resemblance was even more striking though.

"I really have to start thinking of myself as a woman in this form. Well at least Naruto's likely to be gone for a couple hours." Sasuke says as she bites her lower lip and extinguishes the flames.

She had to resist the urge to panic when she saw large breasts instead of a flat chest and a VITAL piece of her anatomy was missing. It was hard not to freak out when your kunai just disappeared like that. Sasuke had to remind herself that it would come back later.

"Well as long as Naruto likes it and it works, that's all that really matters." Sasuke whispers to herself.

Sasuke was gay. He just wasn't attracted to women. Naruto was clearly bisexual though. So the youngest Uchiha would just have to take her Mate's word and feeling for it. At least to Naruto, she was apparently very attractive in this form.

The blonde would probably try to pounce soon. Which is why she figured it was a good idea to get more used to her new body first. And she definitely didn't want Naruto around her while she did so. That would just be humiliating.

"Alright. I guess I might as well try." She whispers to herself as she lays down on the bed.

**Warning Lemon**

She slowly parts her legs and tentatively brushes one of her hands against her new womanhood. Alright. That felt good. So she decides to do that a little harder and faster.

That felt REALLY good, especially when her hand accidentally touched her clit. Well that was new. She arched her back in pleasure and lets out a soft moan, while her other hand caresses her breasts. Naruto seemed to like those a lot, so she muses she might as well get used to them being touched.

"Nhh." She moans and imagines Naruto with her, kissing her Mating Mark.

That always drove her crazy. In some dim corner of her mind, she was pretty sure that had evolved as a way to stimulate the desire of Mates. It didn't really matter though. She just knew that it always felt good.

Feeling a bit braver, caresses her breasts faster. That felt good. Really good. Feeling further emboldened, she decides to slide a single digit inside herself. It didn't hurt, but it did feel awkward.

Meanwhile Naruto had just finished making sure that everything was going smoothly when he felt Sasuke through their Bond. Sasuke was aroused. Really aroused. Well at least it had started off that way. Now he could feel his lover's frustration and confusion.

"Have a nice night." He says to the last of the guests he had been greeting and he quickly darts back towards their room.

He blinks at the gorgeous sight that he found. Sasuke was in her female form again. Completely naked and apparently engaging in a little self-exploration.

Sasuke felt it the moment that Naruto walked in. Fuck. She'd been caught and all she could feel was a tidal wave of white hot lust coming from her Mate. Naruto definitely approved of her actions.

"Naruto, I just thought that it'd be a good idea for me to get used to this form before we tried to do anything in it." Sasuke mumbles and wished that she could just disappear.

"It was a good idea and you don't have anything to be embarrassed about." Naruto says as he quickly gets on the bed and pins her.

Sasuke shivers. Oh yeah. At the moment she felt like a deer or something that had been cornered by a very hungry wolf. Well maybe a rabbit and a fox would be a more apt metaphor in this case, she muses.

"It is embarrassing though. You weren't supposed to know." She grumbles.

"Mates shouldn't keep secrets from each other. Don't worry about it. We can go as fast or as slow as you like. Just relax and let me take care of you. Alright?" He asks as he licks the Mating Mark affectionately.

"Naruto, I thought we agreed that I'm the Dominant Mate in this form." Sasuke reminds him and spins them around so that she was on top.

Naruto wasn't complaining though. Damn that was a gorgeous view. Sasuke's chest was fascinating in either form. He really liked Sasuke's abs, but those breasts were also gorgeous.

"Yeah. We did. Like I said we can go as fast or as slow as you want." He says.

"Really? If I had known that a pair of breasts was all that it took to get you to listen to me, I would have used this ridiculous jutsu years ago." Sasuke notes with a smirk as she kisses Naruto and her hands glide over his chest.

It looked like Naruto wasn't the only one with an ab fetish. He notes that Sasuke's hands lingered there a little longer than at other paces. Not that he was complaining. Her touch was slow and sensual, just like in her male form. The main difference was that her skin was even softer..

"What can I say? Their very nice breasts!" Naruto says cheerfully as he glances at them appreciatively.

"You can touch if you want." Sasuke informs him.

Naruto didn't waste any time. He quickly rolls them over so that Sasuke was underneath him again. His hands find their way onto her breasts and caress them slowly. Sasuke could feel through their Bond that Naruto very much wanted to do more, but he didn't want to scare her off.

"Mmm it's okay. That feels good." She sighs in contentment.

There was something very nice about the feeling of his large, warm, and rough hands there. She didn't know what it was, but it made her lower half hum with desire. That was one nice thing about being a woman, Sasuke decides. You got wet when aroused.

"Good." Naruto growls with approval as he fondles her breasts rougher and licks a nipple.

That made Sasuke moan and arch against him. Oh wow. Those were sensitive. She wraps her legs around his waist after he does that instinctively.

"Naruto, get undressed now." She orders him.

"Yes, ma'am." Naruto says, wiggling free of her just long enough to completely strip.

Sasuke bites her lower lip. It didn't matter what form she was in. She was apparently always going to want her Mate. She was just a little unsure of this form would handle her extremely well endowed Mate.

"You can do that again." Sasuke tells him and moans when the blonde goes back to licking at her breasts and lightly sucking on them.

Sasuke practically purrs with approval and kisses Naruto's Mating Mark while her one hand glides over his muscular back and squeezes the curve of his ass. The other hand soon found his fully aroused cock and begins stroking him.

"Yes! Just lik-e that." Naruto groans and bucks into her soft, silky hand.

The blonde bites his lower lip. Yeah. He wasn't going to last like this. He wanted to touch her everywhere. He especially wanted to shove her on her hands and knees and take her hard and fast. Naruto assumed that was Kurama's influence. Some animalistic instinct to dominant and "kit her."

"Naruto, calm down." Sasuke tells him as she rolls them over so wiggles out from under him and has the blonde sit on the edge of the bed.

"Sorry. I can't really help it. Mating Instincts. Fuck you're gorgeous and it feels really fucking good when you play with my cock like that and your scent is driving me insane." He admits.

Sasuke knew that Naruto wasn't the most patient person in the world. Still she hadn't expected him to react to her new form this strongly. She was still going to be the Dominant Mate though. He promised.

"Maybe it will be less intense after I get you off." She purrs at him seductively as she sits in his lap and lavishes his Mating Mark with kisses while her hand goes back to stroking him.

"Maybe." Naruto agrees as he caresses her breasts with one hand and tentatively cups her womanhood with the other.

Sasuke arched her back in pleasure at that move and bucked against him wantonly. Naruto could feel that Sasuke definitely enjoyed that move. So he rubs her harder and faster. Female Sasuke apparently liked aggressiveness. She liked it a lot actually.

"Feels good." She murmurs into his ear as she kisses it and strokes him harder faster, before shoving him back onto the bed, so that that blonde was laying on his back.

"Sasuke?" Naruto asks in confusion.

"Like I said, I'm going to get you off. I figure you could try to use your hand on me while I do it. That part was more awkward when I was doing it." Sasuke admits.

Ohhh. So that's what she wanted. Well Naruto wasn't going to argue about getting sucked off by his gorgeous lover in either form. Still he was a little hesitant. Sasuke apparently hadn't liked touching herself that thoroughly. So the blonde wasn't sure that she would like it any better when he did it.

"Don't be nervous. I trust you. I wouldn't let anyone else see me like this, let alone touch me like this." Sasuke says, picking up the direction of Naruto's thoughts as she takes him into her mouth.

Naruto groans. Well one thing hadn't changed. Sasuke was really fucking good at sucking his cock. The blonde almost came right then and there from the feeling of her mouth sucking, kissing, licking, and nipping at him.

He managed not to though. Naruto really wanted to make her first time as a woman good for her. So he slides one of his fingers inside her. She was so tight, hot, and WET. That wetness was new.

"I love you." Naruto says simply as he moves the digit inside her.

He felt Sasuke squirm. Naruto wouldn't say that his Mate was in pain exactly, but he definitely felt awkward at least. She was so wet though.

**_"Sasuke is still an innocent in this form. Use your chakra and just get rid of that barrier that way. It'll be less painful."_** Kurama says.

**"Kurama! You can't just pop in like that! We are kinda in the middle of something. Wait. You think that would really work?"** Naruto asks.

**_"It'll work. I've had other hosts who used that technique on their lovers."_** The Nine Tails assures him.

Naruto channels just a tiny bit of chakra into his hand and brushes up against her barrier. He felt it give way and Sasuke squirm. Thankfully, it looked like he had just surprised Sasuke more than anything else.

Sasuke felt warm. Really warm. It her a minute to realize what Naruto had just done. Her lover had just deflowered her using chakra!

"You really are the most unpredictable, knuckleheaded ninja." She muses after releasing the blonde from her mouth.

"Why did you stop?!" Naruto growls in frustration.

"Just reminding you who is in charge here." Sasuke says arrogantly.

That did it. Naruto rolls his lover underneath him again and parts her legs. He had been forced to read Jirayia's books for years. So he had a pretty good about how to go about what he was going to attempt. Supposedly, women enjoyed it as much as men. He might as well find out.

"Let's see how you like it!" Naruto says as he buries his head between her creamy thighs and lavishes her womanhood with his warm, rough tongue.

"Oh God!" Sasuke moans and writhes against him.

Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! That felt incredible. The youngest Uchiha squirms helplessly. She'd never had an orgasm as a woman before, but she instinctively knew that she was about to.

Naruto smirks. It was nice to know that Sasuke was apparently rather sensitive, especially there. He licks harder and faster. As a man, Sasuke had a slightly salty taste. As a woman, that was still present, but mostly she tasted sweet. Her moans sounded even sweeter though.

"Need more." Sasuke whimpers.

"You sure?" Naruto stops long enough to ask and he sighs in relief when he saw his Mate nod her head yes.

They both instinctively knew what she meant by more. Naruto pulls away from her to allow his Mate the chance to get comfortable. Apparently comfortable meant pinning Naruto underneath her and straddling his waist before slowly sliding onto him.

Sasuke was surprised at how little joining with him hurt this way. She pawned it off to the fact that Naruto had already taken her virginity (again). Now it was just a matter of getting used to being so full in such an intimate place.

"You feel so fucking good." Naruto growls in approval as he leans up to kiss her breasts and glide his hands over her back in a sensual caress.

"You feel so fucking big." Sasuke murmurs and kisses Naruto once she begins to slowly ride him.

She wasn't entirely sure what she was doing, so Sasuke decided it was best to go slow at first. That was until Naruto hit that spot inside her that made her see stars. Apparently, she still had it in this form, it was just in a different location. It didn't take long for Sasuke to begin riding him faster.

There was nothing more erotic to Naruto than seeing Sauke when he was on the edge of an orgasm or immediately after. That was true in either form. Seeing her bounce up and down the length of his cock was such an erotic sight that he was sure he'd remember it all his life. He especially liked the way her breasts jiggled and her back arched when she did it.

"God, you're beautiful." Naruto purrs with dark approval as he slams inside his lover again and again.

"Nhh! Naruto. Feels so good." Sasuke moans in response.

Soon the two of them began to move as one. Naruto tried his best to show some restraint and the fact that the bed hadn't cracked yet, meant that he must have been managing at least somewhat. He knew that being as aggressive with this version of Sasuke as he was with the male version might not be the best idea, but it just felt so good.

"Naruto, I'm going to lose it." Sasuke moans and Naruto slams into her spot with one final powerful thrust as he joins his lover in a soul shatteringly powerful climax.

He took a few seconds to catch his breath before slowly sliding out of her. Naruto then grabs his Mate and rolls them over so they were laying on their sides in the bed. The blonde then wraps his arms around her and licks her Mating Mark affectionately.

"Mine." Naruto says simply.

"Always." Sasuke agrees and pants as she tries to catch her breath.

**End Lemon**

Naruto smiles as he holds Sasuke close after they made love. He could feel that she was just as satisfied as he was. Which was a damn hard thing to accomplish because that had been fantastic.

"What's it like? You know as a woman?" Naruto asks.

"It's different. Everything is so intense and your body is far more sensitive. It feels really good and out of control. A little scary honestly. I feel more sure of myself as a man." Sasuke admits.

"Well yeah. I mean you've only been in this form twice. Of course you are going to feel more sure of yourself as a man. That makes sense. You were amazing though. Really brave too. I'm not sure if I would have been able to do that." The blonde confesses.

"You are such a loser. We both know that you would have, if you could have. But I love you anyway." Sasuke says with a smile as she cuddles into her Mate.

Naruto smiles. It was always nice to hear Sasuke actually say the words. His Mate loved him and they were going to have a family. At that moment, he was the happiest man alive.

"Night, Sasuke." He says as he kisses Sasuke's cheek.

"Night, Naruto." Sasuke says and closes her eyes.

Naruto notes with some amusement that his lover was soon out like a light. Her breathing had evened out almost instantly. Well he supposed that he couldn't blame Sasuke. She had had a very long day. They were both co-kages now and had just spent the past several hours making love. Anyone would be tired after that.


	20. Believe It!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naruto's and Sasuke's relationship is officially recognized by everyone, including the other Kages.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews. I hope that you all enjoy this chapter.
> 
> Chapter Notation: This takes place two months after the last one.

Two months had passed and Sasuke was gradually getting used to being a woman. She went by Suki now. As far as most of people in the Sound were concerned, Sasuke had temporarily left the village to help a surrogate through her pregnancy and Suki was a nomadic ninja who was staying in the Sound until she gave birth.

At first, Sasuke's disappearance had raised a few eyebrows. Then Naruto explained that they didn't want anyone to know who they had chosen to be their surrogate. The Otokages were too worried that revealing her identity would make the surrogate a target. Thankfully, no one was dumb enough to ask any further questions about Sasuke's disappearance.

"It was an intelligent decision not to reveal yourself in this form until a couple weeks after Naruto made that announcement. If you went missing at the exact same time that a new woman showed up, there was always a slim chance that someone might put two and two together." Itachi muses.

It was true. "Suki" had stayed hidden for a couple weeks after the announcement, just to be on the safe side. Sasuke wasn't going to take any chances of anyone besides their Inner Circle find out that he was now a she and that they weren't using a surrogate. His, well her, pride wouldn't allow it.

"Yes, I thought so." Sasuke mutters.

They had agreed to call him Sasuke in private and Suki in public. It was just easier to pretend to pretend to be someone else. She liked being called by her real name in private though. It was a reminder that eventually, she was going to be a he again.

"You are foolish, but you're also very brave. I would never have gone through with it. How are you feeling?" Itachi asks.

"Right now, I'm alright. That wasn't the case this morning though." Sasuke mutters in disgust.

"Ah Morning Sickness. Well, that's normal at this stage of the pregnancy. How bad was it?" Itachi asks conversationally.

Sasuke gives him the dirty look. She didn't want to talk about it. It was bad enough to have to live through it. She wasn't about to regale him with tales of her Morning Sickness.

"Bad. I spent about ten minutes losing everything that I had eaten the day before. That's all that you are getting out of me." The younger Uchiha grumbles bitterly.

"Damn. I'm sorry, I wasn't there to help. I didn't know it was that bad." Naurto says as he bounds into the room and strides over to his Mate.

Damn it. This was humiliating. Naruto was now going to go into overprotective mode. She didn't like throwing up, but she'd certainly experienced far worse things.

"I didn't want you to know it was that bad. It's nothing. You heard Itachi. It's perfectly normal at this point in a pregnancy. It's not fun, but I'll be fine." Sasuke assures him.

Naruto shakes his head and wraps his arms around his stubborn Mate. Sasuke was really, really stubborn. Even as a woman, she wanted to be perceived as being able to handle everything on her own. Which was ridiculous in Naruto's mind. He was her Mate. Sasuke didn't need to put on a tough guy, well girl, act.

"It's not nothing. If you are hurting, I want to know about it. Hey, Itachi. Kisame was looking for you. He says that Kabuto is checking to see if your surrogates got pregnant or not." Naruto informs him.

"Oh. Thanks for letting me know. Well I'll see you later, Sasuke." Itachi says as he leaves the room.

Sasuke shakes his head. He still couldn't believe Itachi and Kisame were using two surrogates. One to bare Itachi's child and the other to bare Kisame's. He wanted to restore the Uchiha Clan. Apparently, Itachi didn't think it would be fair if Kisame's genes also didn't get passed along. Sasuke didn't see the point in arguing, since Itachi was cooperating. If he wanted to raise his child and Kisame's spawn, let him.

"Do you think Kisame's kid is going to look more like him or the mother?" Naruto asks.

"I don't know. I'm hoping that the kid looks more like their mother though. Maybe Kisame's genes will get diluted. I'm still not sure if he was born that way or if some jutsu was involved." Sasuke muses.

Naruto nods in agreement. He had never asked Kisame how he ended up looking like that. Even if the guy was a former Criminal Ninja, that seemed kinda rude.

"You really should tell me stuff like that though. You know that the bond only works when we are within range. It's not like I can tell when you are hurt when I was in the Sand." Naruto says.

"Naruto, I'm pregnant. I had Morning Sickness. It's fine." Sasuke says firmly.

The blonde shakes his head and licks Sasuke's Mating Mark. That usually put Sasuke in a more cooperative mood. He didn't know why his Mate was so stubborn. Well other than the fact that Sasuke was Sasuke.

"Nhh. That's cheating and you know it." She moans quietly.

"Maybe a little. You're really lucky you are pregnant right now. Otherwise, I'd probably bend you over and spank you for what you've been pulling. That and I don't really want to bruise that gorgeous ass of yours." Naruto muses.

"And I'm the Dominant Mate while I'm like this. If anyone does any spanking, it would be me." Sasuke snaps at him.

The blue eyed Kage just shakes his head. He didn't mind letting Sasuke think that she was the Dominant Mate. Mostly, he was humoring his beautiful lover.

She was pregnant and he didn't want to cause any fights. That was all. He was still very much the real Dominant Mate. Thank you, very much.

"I felt that!" Sasuke hisses at him.

"Felt what? This?" Naruto asks slyly as he kisses the Mark and traces the curve of her hip with his hand.

Sasuke shivers. Damn Mating Mark. Naruto was fighting dirty and he knew it, but God did that feel good.

"You know that I'm supposed to be the evil one, right? That's a cheap trick and you know it. Right there." She mews in pleasure and tilts her neck to the side, exposing more of it to his delightfully wicked administrations.

"Really? I didn't get a rule book that said that. I can be bad sometimes too, you know? Just ask Sanzara." Naruto informs his Mate cheekily as he scoops her up in his arms and carries her to the bed.

Sasuke blinks as she recalls the rather gruesome fate of that ninja. Naruto could be brutal when he wanted to be. It was just generally, he didn't want to be. She was so distracted by that horrific memory, that she didn't protest the carrying.

"I guess that's true." She mutters as Naruto lays her gently down on the bed and soon takes his place at her side.

"Yeah. It is. I'd never let anyone hurt you or our baby. You know that, right?" He asks as he kisses her forehead and wraps his arms around her protectively.

Sasuke smiles. She definitely knew that. This was one of her favorite parts of being Mated. It was nice to be able to snuggle up against him and feel utterly protected and loved. She could feel what he felt. There was no mystery involved.

"I know. Try not to blow Suigetsu's head off though. He's annoying, but he has his uses." Sasuke muses.

"I can't really make any promises on that one. I mean I love you and all, but he can be really annoying." Naruto says with a grin.

Sasuke couldn't help but laugh at that assessment. It was accurate. There was really no point in debating it.

"Mmm alright. As long as you try not to kill him, I'll be happy." Sasuke says as she yawns and closes her eyes, while cuddling into him more.

"Good. Get some sleep." Naruto says and he smiles when Sasuke does exactly that.

He really liked having the Bond. For once, he knew what Sasuke was thinking. Well maybe not thinking exactly, but at least what she was feeling. Really that was close enough in his opinion. Once he knew what she was feeling, it was usually pretty easy to guess why.

"You be nice to your mother. Well your father. Actually just be nice to Sasuke, okay? She's already going through a lot." Naruto says as he smiles and glides his hand over Sasuke's currently flat stomach.

**"It's hard to wrap my head around the fact that there is a baby in there."** Naruto says.

**_"Well technically, it's an embryo at the moment."_** Kurama points out.

**"Well yeah. I mean if you want to get all scientific about it, but it's going to be a baby soon!"** Naruto protests.

Kurama shakes his head and licks his paw. Naruto was a proud first time father. That was only natural. So was Kurama in his own way. If nothing else, he knew that the Uchiha brat would certainly sire strong kits.

Perhaps this hadn't been exactly what he had in mind when he suggested that Naruto have them start a family to keep his rebellious Mate under control. Nonetheless, it was still an effective plan. Nothing made Submissive Mates happier than kits.

It had taken about two weeks for Naruto and Sasuke to successfully conceive. Damn those had been two really good weeks too! So while she had been a woman for two months, she was six weeks pregnant. It would be awhile before she started showing, but Naruto was already completely in love with their baby. So was Sasuke.

**_"You better get some sleep. You have an early meeting tomorrow with the other Kage."_** Kurama reminds him.

**"Yeah. You're right."** Naruto agrees and soon he drifts off to the Land of Dreams, with his Mate by his side.

* * *

The next morning, Naruto was getting ready to head to the Kage Meeting. Sasuke was understandably not to thrilled about this. It meant that the blonde would have to speak directly with Tsunade.

They had gotten lucky at the Ceremony. Tsunade had just been part of the crowd. Neither of them had been forced to interact with her, much to her dismay. This would be different.

"I don't like that I can't be with you." Sasuke admits.

"It'll be fine. We are an official village now. She has no jurisdiction over us. The most that she can do without risking a war, is yell at me. Don't worry." The blonde says as he kisses his Mate.

Sasuke returns the kiss and takes the opportunity to run her fingers through Naruto's golden tresses. She liked doing that and she knew that Naruto enjoyed it. Her blonde liked to be petted.

"Alright. First sign of trouble though, I want you to get out of there as soon as you can." Sasuke warns him.

"I will. Besides, Gaara will be there. He's not going to let anything happen to me. I'll be back soon." Naruto says as he heads out the door.

Sasuke bites her lower lip as she watches her Mate leave. She blamed her Mating Instincts. They really didn't like it when Naruto left her sight. If her new instincts had their way, they'd spend all day in bed either cuddling or making love. Unfortunately, she wasn't going to get her way though.

Naruto was a Kage now. Sasuke couldn't help him with his duties, because he was supposed to be off with a surrogate. She had to play the part of a nomadic ninja who had decided to wait out her pregnancy in the Sound Village before moving on somewhere else. She couldn't go with him. Not without risking blowing her cover.

"You better come back in one piece, Idiot." She mutters to herself.

* * *

A short while later, Naruto is at the Kage Summit. He was getting a rather frosty reception from almost everyone to say the least. Well except for Gaara and to Tsunade. The red head had his back and Tsunade was looking at him with a mixture of pity and wariness.

"Hey, guys." He says cheerfully, trying to break the tension.

"Naruto, what the Hell were you thinking?! You abandoned your village and left to start your own? Has Sasuke put you under some sort of Genjutsu?" Tsunade demands.

She knew that was an empty accusation. Naruto had always followed Sasuke. He'd never given up on the raven haired ninja. It wasn't a jutsu. She wished that it was though. If that had been the case, she could have fixed it.

"I was thinking that I'm in love with Sasuke and the Leaf probably wasn't going to take us back after we left! Starting our own village seemed like the best option." Naruto informs her.

He didn't regret it. Not for a second, did he regret his choice. He had a beautiful Mate now and they had a baby on a way. They were free to do whatever the Hell they liked. Life couldn't get any better. The only thing that worried him was that the Leaf was likely going to look for any excuse to pick a fight with them.

"Naruto, do you have any idea what you've done. Even if you return to the Leaf, the Sound has now been formally recognized. You have completely changed the dynamics between the other ninja villages." She says.

"I know. I don't care though. Our village is doing great. We're happy. As long as you leave us alone, we'll leave you alone." He reasons.

Sakura darts inside the meeting room. Tsunade had let her come to the Kage Summit. She was serving as the Hokage's bodyguard officially. Unofficially, she was hoping to see Sasuke and Naruto. Maybe she could talk some sense into them.

"Naruto!" She calls out.

"Hey, Sakura. It's good to see you. I'm sorry about leaving you behind like that, but I don't think that it was a group invitation." Naruto says as he walks over to his former teammate and hugs her.

He was furious at what the Leaf had done to Sasuke's family, but not at Sakura. The pinkette had no idea what was really going on behind the scenes. In his mind, she was an innocent. She was still his friend.

"I get it, but you should come home. Orochmaru is dead and I'm assuming Itachi is as well. You wouldn't have started a new village, if you were still chasing him down. There's no reason that you can't come home." The jade eyed woman argues.

Naruto sighs. He did feel guilty about leaving Sakura behind. He wasn't going back though. He had a life in the Sound. A really fucking good one, by the way. Far better than the one he left behind in the Leaf.

"I'm sorry. We aren't going back. Sasuke and I are happy in the Sound. You can come visit though. We'd love to have you there. It'll be just like the old days." Naruto says with a grin.

"Is it really true? You and Sasuke are…together?" Sakura whispers as if she believed it might be blasphemy even to ask.

**_"Oh this will be good. I can't wait to see how you break the news to her about this. She was always panting after our Mate."_** Kurama comments.

The blonde mentally braces himself. This probably wasn't going to be pretty. Still Sakura had a right to know. Besides, it was public knowledge at the moment.

"Yeah. We are. I never thought that two men could be together like this, but we love each other. A lot. Apparently, it's actually really common on missions and stuff. The Sound was just more open about that sort of thing than the Leaf. I'm sorry, if that hurts you. I know that you really liked him, but I'm not sorry that I love him and he loves me." Naruto says.

The Raikage smacks his forehead. This was embarrassing. He couldn't believe that he was watching some teenage love triangle play out before his very eyes. They were Kages, not Academy Students. They had far more important matters to focus on than this!

"That's all very sweet, but can we focus on more important matters?" He growls.

"Nothing's more important to me than him." Naruto growls right back at the Raikage.

Onoki sighs. Things were getting out of hand and fast. He was clearly going to have to step in to prevent a bloodbath. This was not how he had hoped the first Kage Summit with the Otokage would go.

"Gentlemen, please. I believe we have many things that need to be discussed." He states.

That seems to pacify the two alpha males, for the time being. Naruto sits down and they begin. Sakura just looks at Naruto with a stunned expression.

She had heard the rumors of course. Tsunade had even told her what happened on the day that the Sound was recognized, but she hadn't really believed it. Now that she had heard Naruto confirm it, his relationship was Sasuke seemed far more real than it had previously. She didn't know how to handle that.

"Where is Sasuke? You told us that the two of you were going to be co-kages. He should be here." Mei muses.

"He's busy with our surrogate." Naruto states plainly and everyone's jaw dropped.

Sakura covers her mouth in shock. Sasuke was busy with their surrogate?! That meant that they were having a baby together. Well maybe together was stretching it a bit. Clearly, that child would have only one of their genes.

She was almost certain that it was Sasuke's child. He wanted to restore his Clan. Naruto would do anything for Sasuke, even raise a child that was biologically not his. This was real. They were really together.

"You certainly don't waste any time. Who is the biological father? You or him?" The Raikage asks.

"That's really none of your business." The blue eyed Kage snaps at him.

Gaara sighs. This wasn't going well. He could see that the Stone Kage was having similar thoughts. Someone was going to have to do something and fast to prevent the day from ending in disaster.

"That's a rather personal question. Perhaps we should focus on the matter at hand. The Sound Village is new. It will have to find its place in the world. That means it will likely want to establish trade with other villages and if at all possible, alliances." The red head reasons.

"Yeah. That'd be great. I actually brought this with me. Sasuke took the liberty of preparing it before he left." Naruto says as he takes out some scrolls.

Naruto didn't understand a word of it. Sasuke apparently did though. Trade ratios, geography, economics, and politics were just not his area of expertise. Sasuke seemed to think he knew what he was doing though. So the blonde had decided to just trust his Mate.

"Let me see those." Tsunade says as she glances them over.

She blinks. These were rather detailed. Sasuke had definitely made them. Naruto would have been more generalist than this. Some of these moves were rather clever. He didn't have her experience though. There were a few small areas that she could tweak to her advantage.

"What's it say?" Onoki asks.

"It says the brat knows what he's doing. Have a look." She replies simply and gives the scrolls to the Stone Kage to read.

Onoki reads it with wide eyes. That was impressive. Then again, he had always know the Uchiha Clan was known to produce rather bright ninjas. If only they could control their tempers, that would be wonderful.

"The level of detail in these was unexpected." He muses.

"We'll look over these, if you don't mind. I assume that you have copies back in the Sound Village?" Mei inquires and Naruto nods.

Gaara had suggested that they make copies of everything. So they had. There were advantages to having another Kage as your friend.

"Well I suppose that's all that we can reasonably do for now. Safe travels, Naruto." Tsunade says sadly.

"Thanks. I'll see you guys around." The blonde says as he heads out of the room.

* * *

A few minutes later, he wasn't surprised when Sakura stopped him. That was only natural. He hadn't seen her in months. The blue eyed ninja would be lying, if he said that he wasn't happy to see her.

"I'm glad that you two are happy. It hurts to lose him, but he was never mine to begin with. I really wish you would come home though. I think that Tsunade would be able to get you reinstalled. You can choose another Kage, one that is friendly to the Leaf. Then you can come home." She pleads.

Naruto sighs. He hated to leave her behind again, but he knew that's what he had to do. He could either live in the Leaf or he could have his family. He couldn't have both.

Sakura was his friend. He really liked her, but she was no Sasuke. He wasn't going to give up everything just to come crawling back to the Leaf on his hands and knees, begging for forgiveness.

"I'm sorry. I'm not going back. Like I said, you can visit anytime you want though. Think of this as a new beginning. It's a good thing." Naruto tells her with a smile.

"I'll miss you. I'm going to go talk to Lady Tsunade. I'll ask her, if I can come back with you. I want to see the Sound some more. I didn't get to see much of it during the Ceremony. I want to know what it's like." Sakura says.

"Yeah. Sure. That sounds great. I'll just wait here. You can go ask her." The Otokage agrees.

Sakura smiles and races back inside. Naruto watches her and sighs. Hopefully, she would like the Sound. Maybe she'd be able to understand that they were happier there than they ever had been in the Leaf.

Orochimaru was gone. It was the dawning of a new era for that village. He and Sasuke would make sure that it was a much brighter one for everyone that lived there, especially their children.

"He's probably going to want to have more than one." Naruto muses as he waits for Sakura.

One child wasn't much of a Clan revival. If Itachi and Sasuke only had one child each, that was only two Mini Uchihas. That was still rather low. He was pretty sure that Sasuke would want to have at least two children of his own. Most likely, he'd want more.

**_"You should talk with our Mate about that. It would be a good idea to see how big of a litter he wants."_** Kurama suggests.

**"Yeah. I'm definitely going to ask him."** Naruto agrees.

Soon enough Sakura comes out. She smiles and informs Naruto that Tsunade agreed. It wasn't as though Naruto had any doubt that she would. Tsunade was just as curious about the Sound as Sakura was. Of course, she was going to say yes.

"Alright. Let's go!" Naruto declares with a bright smile ad they head off.

He was going home. Naruto was going home to his family and his new life. The blonde couldn't be any happier. He knew that Sakura had her misgivings. That was only natural. He'd make her see though. She'd understand why he had started over in the Sound soon enough. Believe it!


	21. I Wish

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naruto wishes there was another way, but he does something horrific to protect his family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews. I hope you all enjoy this chapter.
> 
> Chapter Warning: This is a rather disturbing chapter. So you may wish to skip the warning scene or this chapter in general, if you prefer a story with a lighter theme. This is especially true if you like Sakura or have a problem with minor character death scenes. While Naruto's actions may be viewed as OOC, he is the Dominant Mate with a pregnant Submissive. Animalistic instincts kicked in.

Naruto knew it was a gamble to take Sakura back to the Sound Village. He had to try though. He wanted his friend to understand that he and Sasuke were okay. They were better than okay actually. They were deliriously happy.

"It's impressive what the two of you have managed to do in such a short time." Sakura muses.

They had arrived back in the Sound Village a few hours ago. The pink haired woman had promptly set about exploring everywhere. She had certainly been impressed by their medical equipment. Though she was a little bit traumatized at the rather liberal view of sexuality in the Sound Village. Truly, it was anything goes. (As long as it was consensual, Team Taka and the two Akatsuki members made sure of that).

"Yeah. Team Taka has been really helpful. Well mostly. Suigetsu can be annoying sometimes." Naruto explains.

"Speaking of Taka, when is Sasuke going to be back? I mean is he living with that surrogate now or does he go back and forth?" His former teammate inquires.

Naruto pauses as he considers the best way to answer that question. He really did hate lying to his friend, but it couldn't be helped. Sasuke would never forgive him, if he told anyone the truth. Besides, who would believe it?

"He's staying with the surrogate. I'm running the Sound with the help of Taka while he's gone. Sasuke wanted to be with her. That way he can protect her and help her. We are Kages now. There could be assassination or kidnapping attempts against the poor woman. It's just safer this way. Sasuke is a one man army by himself. He can keep her safe." The blue eyed ninja replies.

Sakura winces. It still stung to know that Sasuke's heart belonged to someone else. He was her first love. Naturally, it was painful to find out that he would never return her feelings.

She had always thought that she would be the one who would end up carrying his child, not some random woman. At the very least, she had expected he would fall in love with a woman. So that was another thing that she was struggling to understand. How had Sasuke and Naruto fallen in love with another man?

"Well that makes sense. I guess you were always more of a people's person than he was." Sakura muses.

"Yeah. You can say that again. Really other than me, Taka, and our family, he's more of a loner. It's just how Sasuke is wired." Naruto says conversationally.

"That's true. Well um it's exotic, but I could see how the two of you would be happy here. How does that work with you and him?" The pink haired woman asks tactfully.

Naruto beams. He was happy because it looked like his friend was going to understand. That and because he was always happy to talk about his Mate.

"Really well. We just have better way to resolve our fights now. Instead of with our fists, we kiss and do other things." The blue eyed ninja informs her merrily.

Sakura blinks. She was having a hard time picturing that. Naruto hadn't gone into detail, but the implication was rather clear. He and Sasuke were definitely physically intimate with each other. She knew enough to realize how that was possible from a mechanical perspective. The medic was just trying to process it emotionally.

"Well I'm glad that things are going well for you two. I just really wish that you would both come home." She tries to plead with him.

She knew that it pointless to do so. Naruto had made up his mind. Once the blonde made up his mind to do something, there really was no going back. That and Sasuke was almost as stubborn as his lover was. There would be no reasoning with either of them on this matter.

"I'm sorry. That's not going to happen. Come on. Let me find you a place to stay." Naruto says as he leads Sakura to one of the inns.

* * *

The blonde didn't know it yet, but that was a mistake. The next morning, Sakura heads to the baths there. Suki was staying at the Inn because it she knew that people would get suspicious, if she was seen staying at her and Naruto's place overnight.

Of course, the raven haired woman knew that Sakura was in the Sound. She hadn't thought much of it though. It wasn't like Sakura would recognize her in this form and odds were she would be able to successful avoid her for a day or two. So the expectant 'mother' wasn't that worried.

"Hey, would you mind passing me one of those towels?" Sakura asks.

Sasuke's eyes widen when she sees Sakura. Damn it. She really did have the worst luck. Well, it didn't really matter. The odds that the pink haired woman would see her and immediately realize it was Sasuke in the Sexy Jutsu were really low. She just had to act normal.

"Sure." She says and hands the other woman a towel.

"Thanks. I'm Sakura, by the way." The pink haired woman says.

Suki mentally groans. Damn. Sakura actually wanted to try to make conversation with her. This was going to be very annoying.

"Suki." She says as she begins rinsing off, deciding that it would be best to get out of here as soon as possible.

"You Sound Villagers aren't really a talkative bunch, are you?" Sakura notes in amusement.

"I wouldn't know. I'm a nomadic ninja. I'm just staying here until after I have my baby and recover. It's better than risking being on the road while I go into labor." Suki tells her.

It was best to stick to the story. She didn't know why she mentioned her pregnancy. Well she did. Suki was nervous and that made her more likely to babble. (This was a fairly common plight for most people though).

"Oh I see. That makes sense. How far along are you? You don't look very far along." Sakura muses.

"A little less than two months. I'm going to go now. I've been having Morning Sickness and I would rather not vomit on you." Sasuke says.

For once, Morning Sickness was a good thing. It gave her an excuse to make a graceful exit. Maybe Sakura would be less chatty once she realized there was a chance that she might get covered in vomit, if she didn't shut up.

"Oh. Right. That would be why you aren't showing. Most women don't start showing in their first pregnancy until 12-16 weeks. This is your first baby, isn't it? I mean you look young." The green eyed woman muses.

"Yes, this is my first baby and I know. Believe me, I've read all the pregnancy books. Well, nice meeting you. Maybe, I'll see you around." Suki lies as she gets out of the water and starts to dry off.

What she didn't count on was that Sakura would the very faint, almost invisible scars that Sasuke had received during their battle with Haku. Sasuke had mostly forgotten about them. Even on her fair skin, you had to squint and be looking rather closely to see them. Sakura apparently was looking closely.

"I know those scars. It can't be. S-Sasuke?!" She asks in shock as she gets out of the water and approaches her former teammate.

"Damn it." Sasuke mutters and she charges at Sakura, pinning her against the wall.

"I don't know how you figured out it was me and I don't really care. If you tell anyone about this, I WILL end you." Sasuke informs her and activates her Eternal Mangekyo.

Sakura couldn't believe it! Sasuke was a woman and he was pregnant! Well she was pregnant, she mentally corrects herself. Oh and "Suki" was really pissed off.

"How is this even possible?" The Leaf Ninja demands.

"I just used Naruto's Sexy Jutsu. I have the chakra reserves necessary to maintain it long enough to carry a pregnancy to term. After I have our son or daughter, I'll change back. I mean it Sakura. I will kill you, if you tell anyone." Sasuke warns her.

That was brilliant. It was brilliant in a very twisted way. This was insanity. It violated the laws of nature. It was one thing for a kid to turn into a woman as a prank. It was another to turn into a woman to have a baby!

"Sasuke, I know that you want to have a family and that's understandable. This isn't the way to go about it though. You should have just used surrogates." Sakura says.

"We thought about it, but this was better. I don't have to trust some stranger with the safety of our children. I can carry them myself and this way we are both the biological father. This child will have a piece of me and Naruto in them. With a surrogate, only one of us would be the biological father." Sasuke explains.

"Sasuke, family is about more than just biology. This is wrong. This is sick and it's DANGEROUS. Something like this has never been attempted before. Do you even really know if you can survive childbirth like this? Will the female internal organs last long enough to carry the baby? Not to mention the psychological effects this will have on you!" She points out.

Sasuke frowns. She had thought about all this before. She must have gone over all of these points in her mind at least a thousand times a day. It didn't matter though. Her pregnancy was a safe one. Kabuto might be as trustworthy as a leech, but he was one of the best medics to have ever lived. If he said it was safe, it was safe.

"We've already run all the possible tests that we could to ensure it's safe. As far as psychological effects, that's MY concern. Not yours. It's not as if the Leaf ever gave a fuck about my feelings before." Sasuke hisses at her.

Sakura takes a step back as if struck. There was just so much venom in Sasuke's tone. It was almost as if the other woman had physically struck her. It floored her.

"What do you mean by that?! We searched for you, for years!" The medic protests.

"The Leaf only wanted me back for my Sharingan and because it just couldn't stand not to control my family. The Leaf ordered Itachi to murder our Clan. It was a genocide. I wanted to kill Itachi. If I hadn't found out the truth, I probably would have ended up coming back to the Leaf. Not now though. Not when I know what the real foundation of that treacherous village is. Blood. Uchiha blood." Sasuke snarls at her.

The medic couldn't believe what she was hearing. Sasuke was saying that the Leaf ordered the Massacre?! But why?! That couldn't possibly be right!

"Sasuke, I think that becoming a woman might have confused you. The Leaf would never do something like that!" She protests.

"Yes, they would. That village likes to pretend to be something that it isn't. It likes to pretend to be good. Maybe the regular people in that village are, but not the power players. There are things that go on in the shadows that you don't know about. You can close your eyes to it. I'm not going to. I know the truth." The raven haired woman seethes.

* * *

It was at this point that Naruto blinks. He could feel rage pouring off of Sasuke's part of their bond. Someone had really upset his Mate.

The blonde takes off running towards where the mental screams were coming from. What could possibly cause Sasuke to freak out like this? The only comparable rage that he had ever felt come off Sasuke was back when he thought Itachi had killed their family for _fun._

**_"Something's wrong. It's not like our Mate to blast us like this. This is unconscious. She's furious. You had better hurry."_** Kurama tells him.

Naruto didn't need to be told twice. He rushes into the inn and follows the psychic screams. He comes skidding to a halt in the baths.

"Sasuke, what's wrong?" He asks and then his eyes widen when he Sakura was in the same room with Sasuke.

She knew. In that moment, he just knew that Sakura was aware that Suki was actually Sasuke. It was also likely that she knew that Sasuke was pregnant. That explained his Mate's panic.

"Naruto! How could you do this?! Are you both out of your minds?! This has never been done before! Sasuke could die in labor or something!" Sakura shouts at him.

"We aren't out of our minds. Sakura, we had Kabuto run all sorts of tests. It's safe." Naruto says.

"Naruto, those are only tests. They are in THEORY. That's different than actually doing it. You are gambling with Sasuke's life here! Not to mention you have no idea what sort of effect this would have on a developing fetus! The kid could be born with two heads or something!" Sakura screams at him.

SMACK. Sasuke had had enough of his "friend's" screaming. She wasn't going to listen to her talk that way about their child. Their child would be perfectly healthy. She just knew it.

"If you ever suggest something like that again, I will tear your head off next time." Suki warns her as the pink haired woman goes flying from the harsh blow.

Sakura cries out in pain. When she regains her footing, she spits out some blood. She wasn't entirely certain what 'Suki's' abilities where, but apparently she could still throw a vicious left hook.

"I don't meant to hurt you two, but neither of you has thought this through. This is dangerous. You both have to know that. Sasuke, you are less than two months along. We could end this painlessly. They wouldn't even feel any pain. Do you really want to gamble with your life and theirs?" She asks.

**"Did Sakura just suggest that we kill our baby?!"** Naruto demands.

**_"I do believe that is what she just suggested. She fears for Sasuke's life if she carries this pregnancy to term and for the health of the kit. She wants the pregnancy to be terminated and for you two not to take that risk."_** The Nine Tails explains.

The blonde could feel the stunned rage flowing of Sasuke in waves. That wasn't the only emotion that his Mate was giving off though. There was also terror. He might not be able to read Sasuke's mind, but he knew what she was thinking. Sakura might try to get in a shot that would terminate the pregnancy. It would only take one well placed blow.

"Sakura, I think you should leave." Naruto snarls at her.

Sasuke felt himself shiver. If Sakura didn't watch it, she could very well end up like Sanzara. Naruto was normally kind and wouldn't hurt a fly. Unless that fly was stupid enough to come between them. Then he would and without any hesitation.

"Naruto, I know that what I said sounds awful, but I really am just worried about you two. Well the three of you. This isn't safe and you know it." She pleads with him.

"I. SAID. GET. OUT. NOW!" Naruto growls at her.

Sakura gulps. She had never heard the lovable blonde sound like that before. For once, she was actually afraid of Naruto. She never thought that would happen. She had been afraid of Sasuke before, but never Naruto. This couldn't be happening.

"Alright. I'm going. I won't tell anyone. I promise." She says as she quickly dresses and races off.

"Do you believe her?" Sasuke asks once Sakura was out of earshot.

"I want to believe her. She's never lied to us before. Are you okay?" Naruto asks as he wraps his arms protectively around his most precious person.

Sasuke sighs. She really didn't know how to answer that. They had taken every precaution possible before Sasuke turned into a woman and got pregnant. They'd done lots of testing. This should be safe, but that didn't meant that Sasuke had enjoyed listening to Sakura's warnings.

"I'm not going to lie. That was unsettling. I'll be alright though. I have you." Sasuke says with a smile and kisses Naruto's cheek.

"Damn right, you do. Come on. I'll teleport us back to our room. You should get some rest after that. All that stress isn't good for you or the baby." Naruto reasons and he does exactly that.

* * *

It was several hours before Sasuke got any sleep. She wasn't the only one who was shaken up by the encounter by Sakura. She could feel that Naruto was as well. Even without their bond, the desperate way they made love over and over again, would have cued Sasuke in.

Naruto had been scared. Scared that maybe Sasuke would have second thoughts about them. Scared that maybe Sakura would terminate the pregnancy, with or without their consent. Mostly, they had just been scared of losing each other. By the end of their rather feral couplings, Sasuke was sound asleep. She was completely exhausted but **_thoroughly_** satisfied.

**_"I don't like it. Sakura is going to run straight to Tsunade. She'll tell her. The Hokage won't react well to the news of our Mate's pregnancy."_** Kurama says.

Naruto could only nod in agreement. He hated to say it, but Kurama was right. Sakura would tell Tsunade.

She would do so for several reasons. The first was because the busty blonde was her Hokage. She was obligated to do so. The second was because she was her apprentice. There were no secrets between them. Finally, she was worried about him and Sasuke. The pinkette would likely think that she was helping them by spilling the beans. He couldn't allow it.

**"I don't like it either."** Naruto admits.

He sighs as he looks down at his slumbering Mate's face. It was feminine now, but it would still be equally stunning when it was masculine again. His sapphire blue eyes trailed further south over Sasuke's currently flat stomach. Their baby would likely be just as beautiful. He wasn't going to let Sakura kill it.

Naruto sighs with a heavy heart and pulls the blankets over Sasuke closer. Then he quickly writes a note and leaves it where his lover would see it. With one last glance back, he headed out the door.

**_"Do you really think that you can do it?"_** Kurama asks.

He knew exactly where Naruto's thoughts were going. The blonde was the Dominant Mate and his Submissive was expecting. Sakura hadn't said that she would terminate the pregnancy, but that would clearly be her preference. It was only natural that Naruto's instincts to protect his Mate were going to kick in.

**"For Sasuke and our baby, I could do anything. I don't like it, but it's the only way to be sure."** Naruto says as he races towards the Leaf.

* * *

He had to get to Sakura before she could get to Tsunade. It was really the only way. Fortunately, he knew the pink haired woman. She would stop at her home first before checking in. She always did.

He didn't bother knocking as he slips into her home. Doors and locks were really more of a formality to ninjas. If any decent ninja wanted to get into your home, a lock wasn't going to stop them. Everyone knew that.

"Sakura." Naruto calls out.

Sakura's eyes widen when she sees her teammate. She bites her lower lip nervously and approaches him. Maybe she could reason with him. It was a long shot, but she had to try. If it came down to it, she was positive that the blonde would choose Sasuke over the baby.

"Naruto, I'm glad that you are here. I'm sorry about what happened earlier." The green eyed woman whispers.

"I'm sorry too. I know that you were only trying to help. I just got so mad. I shouldn't have snapped at you like that. Did you tell anyone yet? Did you tell Tsunade?" He asks.

Sakura shakes her head. She hadn't done it yet. The medic knew that she had to though. The Hokage had a right to know. This was a matter of international security.

The possibility that one of the Otokages could die in childbirth or during pregnancy was too real to ignore. If he did die, Naruto would lose it and Sakura shuddered to imagine what would happen after that. It was too horrifying to contemplate.

"No. I haven't. Not yet." Sakura says.

"Good. I really wanted to talk to you about all this first." Naruto says with a relieved smile as he walks over to her.

**Warning Character Death Scene**

"Oh good. I really wanted to talk to you too." Sakura says as she sighs in relief and hugs him.

Naruto bit his lower lip. He hated to do this, but he knew that he had to. If it came down to a choice between Sakura and his family, he was going to choose his family. He returns her hug and whispers into her ear.

"I'm sorry. I really am, but I'm not going to let you take them from me." Naruto says as he pulls out his kunai and shoves it straight through her heart.

It was an instant kill. Her blood splattered all over him. He had worn gloves though and masked his chakra. There would be no trace that he was there. He winces as he watches Sakura's body sag lifelessly in his arms.

"I'm sorry that it had to be this way." Naruto says as he places a note by her body.

It would look like a suicide. Naruto knew that he had to frame it that way. Thankfully, she was back in the Leaf. So Tsunade wouldn't be able to connect it to the Sound Village. That was the only reason that he didn't kill her before she left. He needed her to be out of the Sound's borders.

**End Character Death Scene**

**_"You did the right thing. We both know that she would have tried to find a way to terminate the pregnancy. She would have done it out of love and concern for the two of you, but that doesn't change the fact that your child would never have been born."_** Kurama tells him.

**"I know. I still wish there had been another way. I won't lie. If I had to do it a thousand times over to protect them, I would though. I wouldn't hesitate for a second."** Naruto confesses.

He sighs as he glances at the note. Naruto had forged Sakura's handwriting perfectly. He doubted anyone would ever be able to tell the difference.

The blonde did feel a little guilty about the content of the note. Still it was the only thing that he could come up with that was believable. Sakura hadn't been able to take the fact that Sasuke and Naruto were together now. She had lost her first love. She would have rather have died than live in a world where she couldn't be with Sasuke.

**_"Don't feel guilty. It was her or your family. You did the right thing. We need to go though. You don't want to get caught here, when someone comes looking for her."_** Kurama says.

Naruto nods and he swiftly exits. The sapphire eyed ninja took every precaution that he could to avoid trackers finding him. He wasn't going to get caught. He wouldn't risk a war with the Leaf and more importantly, he had to get back to his Mate. Sasuke needed him now more than ever.


	22. That was All

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tsunade grieves as Naruto and Sasuke try to cope with their guilt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews. I was surprised and relieved to discover that most people approved of Sakura's death. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this chapter.
> 
> Chapter Notation: The bond operates on an animalistic level. While an animal sees nothing wrong with defending their Mate by killing off a 'threat,' most people do. If you think about it, Sasuke and Naruto both have deep psychological issues. I just took that to extremes here. Remember this is a dark Naruto story.

Sasuke frowns when he wakes up and realizes that her lovable blonde wasn't curled up next to her. Her annoyance didn't last long though. She soon notices the note that Naruto left her and reads it.

**I had some Otokage business to take care of. You looked so cute while you were sleeping, that I didn't have the heart to wake you up. I'll be back soon. Take it easy.**

**Love, Naruto.**

"Well at least he left a note." Sasuke mutters to herself as she stretches and heads towards the kitchen to get some food.

She was eating for two now. Apparently, their child was craving ice cream. So she decides to indulge their son or daughter in this request and gets out some strawberry ice cream.

A few minutes after she had begun to enjoy her frozen treat, she hears the door open and smiles. Naruto was back. She could feel him approaching through their Bond.

"Naruto!" She calls out to him and then frowns when she felt something was wrong.

Naruto was conflicted about something. Really conflicted. He was equal parts smug and guilty. That was an unusual combination, but that is definitely what her Mate was feeling. It confused and scared Sasuke enough that she decides to get to the bottom of this as soon as possible.

"Hey. Sorry, I wasn't there when you woke up. Ice cream? Nice. Do we have any left over?" Naruto asks cheerfully.

"It's alright. I can't expect you to be by my side, every second of every day. Yes, we still have plenty of ice cream. Naruto, what's wrong?" Sasuke ask in confusion.

Naruto sighs. He really didn't want to put this on Sasuke. It wasn't Sasuke's fault. He had chosen to kill Sakura. His lover hadn't asked him to. So as far as he was concerned, his Mate had no reason to feel guilty.

"Nothing's wrong. There was a problem and I took care of it." The blue eyed man says.

"Well if you took care of the problem, you shouldn't have a problem telling me what is going on. Naruto, talk to me. I can feel how distressed you are through our Bond." Sasuke pleads.

The blonde leans over and kisses Sasuke's forehead. He hated that he was obviously scaring his Mate. His pregnant Mate. Sasuke shouldn't be this stressed out when she was pregnant.

"I don't want you to get upset, but you do have a right to know what happened. Don't feel guilty. It was my decision. Not yours. Mine. You bare no responsibility for this." The other Kage says.

"Naruto, just tell me what happened. Whatever it is. We can fix it." The raven haired woman says.

"I don't think that it can be fixed. It's a little late for that. I followed Sakura back to the Leaf. I made sure that she was in her place alone. I killed her. Don't worry. I wore gloves. I left a suicide note for her. Her handwriting is really easy to forge. No one will ever know." The Jinchuuriki tells him.

Sasuke blinks. She couldn't believe it. Naruto had killed Sakura?! That couldn't possibly be true, could it?

She glances at her Mate and was stunned by what she saw. Naruto's eyes told her everything. Her Mate really had killed their former teammate. Sakura was dead. She was dead because of **HER!**

"You k-killed Sakura." Sasuke covers her mouth in horror.

Sasuke had never really liked Sakura. At best, she had tolerated her. At worst, their pink haired teammate had annoyed her. Still she had never wanted her dead. Well not seriously anyway.

Yes, she had been angry and scared when Sakura found out that Sasuke was Suki and pregnant. The raven haired woman had threatened her life, but she hadn't actually been serious. The Uchiha wouldn't have really gone through with it. Well at least she probably wouldn't have, unless Sakura tried to terminate her pregnancy by force.

"Yeah. I did. The note will take care of everything. She was back in her home. There were no witnesses. I didn't enjoy doing it, but I had to. She was going to take you and our baby away from me. I had to protect us. I killed her fast. She didn't suffer. I would never make her suffer." He says.

"I think I'm going to be sick." Sasuke says, before darting off to the bathroom.

Naruto winces as he hears the sound of his Mate vomiting. A lot. This time, he didn't think that it was the result of Morning Sickness. It was because of what he had done.

The blonde follows Sasuke to the bathroom and holds her beautiful feral hair back. It was the least he could do. The blonde knew that he had to say something. Anything.

"Sasuke, I'm sorry. This isn't your fault. It was my choice. I had to do something though. I had to protect you and our baby. You can understand that, right?" The Dominant Mate pleads.

Fear, confusion, and guilt were rolling off on Sasuke in waves. Each emotion was so powerful and pouring off her so fast, that Naruto could barely distinguish one from the next. This was bad. Very bad.

"This is different than Sanzara, Naruto. Sakura was our teammate. She was just trying to help us. She was wrong, but her intentions were good." Sasuke says once she finally stops vomiting.

"I know. I didn't want to do it, but you know she wouldn't have given up. It was her or our child, Sasuke. I chose our baby over our teammate. I'm not happy about it, but I WOULD do it again. I'm not going to let it happen again. There isn't going to be another Massacre and I'm definitely not going to let anyone hurt you or our baby." Naruto insists.

Sasuke bites her lower lip. Naruto had killed for her again. They were ninjas. So it wasn't as though her own hands were entirely clean either, but this was Naruto. Naruto wasn't supposed to go around and kill innocent people. It was just wrong.

She couldn't possibly condone this, could she? The last Uchiha tries to calm herself down enough to think about this rationally. From a purely evolutionary perspective, she couldn't fault her Mate.

Naruto had just been protecting his Mate and kit from a 'predator.' From a human perspective though, Sakura hadn't done anything wrong. This was cold-blooded murder. The fact that Naruto felt bad about it, didn't make her any less dead.

**_"Our Mate is frantic. You had better do something. That's not good for her or the kit. Hold her and tease her Mark. You need to calm her down before she walks out the door and doesn't come back."_** Kurama tells him.

That was unthinkable. Sasuke wouldn't actually leave him, would she? They were Mates! They were bound together for life! They had a baby on the way. She wouldn't leave him! That wasn't possible!

"I'm sorry." Naruto whispers as he wraps his arms around Sasuke wrap places gentle kisses along the Mark.

Sasuke felt it. She could feel Naruto's emotions. He was worried that she would leave him. If she was a better person, maybe she would have. But she couldn't. She loved him too much.

That and leaving Naruto wouldn't bring Sakura back. It wouldn't wash the blood off her blonde's hands. They couldn't make this right.

There was no reason to have her child grow up without knowing his or her other father. It wouldn't solve anything. It would be punishing their child for the sins of their fathers. That wasn't right.

"I know you are. Just promise me that you won't do it again. Don't kill an innocent person for me or our baby again. I don't want our child to be indirectly responsible for the deaths of multiple innocent people. It's bad enough that Sakura had to die for them to live. No more." Sasuke whispers.

"I promise. No more. It's alright. She can't hurt you or our baby anymore. I promise." Naruto whispers into her ear and then licks their Mark.

Sasuke sighs and leans into him. Her mind and heart was still racing, but her body couldn't deny that felt good. Whenever Naruto did that, it felt good.

The thing that sickened her most though was that part of her was glad Sakura was dead. Naruto was right. She wouldn't have given up. The pink haired woman might have prevented their child from ever taking their first breath. That couldn't be allowed.

"No one can ever find out about this. If Tsunade finds out that you killed Sakura, it will mean war." Sasuke whispers.

"I know. She won't find out. I wore gloves. I forged a suicide note. Sakura's handwriting is easy to copy. No one will ever know. It's alright." Naruto assures Sasuke as he kisses her.

Sasuke kisses back. Part of her wished that she was a better person. That she had stopped Naruto from doing it. In the back of her mind, she had known that something was wrong. Their Bond had told her so.

She hadn't acted on it though. How could she focus on that, when Naruto had made love to her so fiercely and so many times? She had let herself be distracted. In a way, she might as well have killed Sakura herself. She was complicit in the young medic's death.

"No one will ever know." Sasuke agrees after returning the kiss.

"I love you. You know that, right? I just wanted to protect our family. That's all." Naruto says as he caresses her cheek.

Sasuke sighs and nods as she kisses the palm of Naruto's hand. She knew. Naruto's heart had been in the right place. He might have even saved their child's life. Still that didn't change the fact that he had done the wrong thing, for the right reasons.

"I know that you love me. I feel it every day through our bond. I love you too. I love you and our baby more than anything. Just make me forget about this. I don't want to think about it anymore. I don't want to think about anything else, but me and you for awhile. Just for awhile." Sasuke says as she rests her head on Naruto's shoulder and allows herself to be embraced.

"Yeah. We can do that. Don't worry about anything." Naruto tells her and kisses her forehead.

* * *

A few days later in the Leaf, Tsunade was growing concerned. She hadn't seen hide, nor hair of her apprentice. That wasn't like Sakura. She should have been back from the Sound by now. So she decides to go and check on her favorite student.

The busty blonde knocks on Sakura's door and frowns when she received no answer. Well a locked door was no barrier for a ninja. She easily kicks it down and looks inside.

"Sakura! Are you in here?" She calls out anxiously.

Once again, there was no response. That's when the scent of blood hit her nose. Lots of blood.

Her eyes widen in horror and she rushes towards where the scent was the strongest. That's when she saw her worst nightmare. Sakura was laying lifelessly on the ground. There was blood splattered everywhere.

"Sakura! Hold on! I'll help you." The Hokage says desperately as she rushes over and tries to assist the injured ninja.

That's when she realizes the truth. Sakura wasn't just injured. Her body was too cold and she wasn't breathing. Her student was dead and had likely been that way for several days.

"Oh God! No! How could this have happened?!" She cries out in anguish and it was then that she notices a note was laying over Sakura's bloody corpse.

She blinks and picks it up. The Hokage knew that she had to know what it said. Perhaps it was a letter from Sakura or her killer.

**I'm sorry. I just couldn't take it anymore. The sight of Sasuke and Naruto together was just too much to bare. Naruto was my friend and Sasuke was my first love. To lose them both was unbearable.**

**I want you know Lady Tsunade, that this wasn't your fault. I will always be grateful that you took me under your wing. You made me strong. I loved this village and I wish that things had worked out differently, but I just didn't want to be alone anymore. I wanted someone to come home to.**

**Goodbye, Sakura.**

The ninja stares at the suicide note in disbelief. This wasn't possible. There was no way that Sakura would have taken her own life. Was there?

She knew that her student had carried a romantic torch for the last Uchiha. That much she was aware of, but would she really kill herself because Sasuke found someone else? She didn't know.

"It's written in her own hand though." She whispers to herself sadly.

That was Sakura's handwriting. There was no doubt about that much. Maybe it really had just been too much for her student to see Sasuke and Naruto together. That would have been painful for anyone.

It didn't make sense though. Sakura was a strong woman. While that would have made anyone upset, it shouldn't have been devastating enough for the young woman to take her own life.

"Oh God! How did this happen?!" She whispers as she breaks down and sobs for hours.

When she had finally exhausted herself from crying, Tsunade collected herself enough to realize that Sakura deserved a proper burial. She quickly grabs the body and carries it off to find a suitable coffin. She would arrange a beautiful funeral for the young woman.

Her life had been snuffed out before it had even really begun. Teachers weren't supposed to bury their students. In a way, it felt like she was about to organize her own daughter's funeral.

"I'm sorry, Sakura. I wish that you had talked to me about this. It never had to come to this. There was another way. I only hope that you can find peace now. Wherever you are." She whispers.

* * *

Back in the Sound, Sasuke had just finished getting a checkup with Kabuto. Naruto was off in his office going over some Otokage business. This time, it was actually Kage business and not code for conducting an assassination.

At the moment, Sasuke was with Itachi. He still wasn't entirely sure how she felt about her brother. Still she did know that it was highly unlikely the elder Uchiha would pick a fight. Itachi had something to live for now. He and Kisame were going to be parents soon.

"How are you feeling?" Itachi asks.

It was the question that her big brother always asked. Sasuke got the feeling that it was as much out of curiosity as concern. She couldn't entirely blame the other Uchiha for this reaction. She was a man using a Jutsu to become a pregnant woman. It was only natural to be curious.

"Physically? I'm alright. I think the worst of the Morning Sickness may be passing. Now it's mostly food cravings." She admits.

"You chose to specify your physical feelings, instead of your emotional ones. Are you alright?" Her brother inquires.

Sasuke sighs. He had no idea how to answer that question. She couldn't help but feel enormously guilty about what had happened. The raven haired woman hadn't killed Sakura, but she was responsible for the other woman's death. The guilt just wouldn't go away.

"It's complicated." Sasuke replies honestly.

"Did you and Naruto have some sort of lovers' spat?" The elder Uchiha inquires gently.

"Not exactly. I know that Naruto loves me. I just worry sometimes that sometimes his love for me causes him to do things that he normally wouldn't. It's the Mating Bond. It makes him act more animalistic." The raven haired woman replies.

Itachi tilts his head to the side. He knew that Sasuke was attempting to be tactful. When he said animalistic, his foolish little "sister" was probably putting it mildly. This was certainly cause for concern.

"What do you mean by more animalistic?" The doe eyed man asks warily.

"He's more aggressive. If Naruto thinks there is a threat to me or our child he gets…well he acts differently than he used to. I know he loves me. He'd never seriously try to hurt me or our family, but it's concerning." Sasuke admits.

"You should talk to him about it then. It's not entirely his fault. God only knows what is going on in his head. That Mating Bond the two of you have is something unique. I'm not certain that I could share my head with anyone like that. I love Kisame, but we would drive each other crazy." The older ninja says.

Sasuke nods in agreement. He was sure that Kisame and Itachi would have killed each other, if they were Mates. While his feelings towards Itachi were complicated at best, he didn't doubt for a moment that he and Kisame were in love.

"Yes, it's intense. Most of the time, I like it. I can always feel him. I just don't want to change him. I don't want him to become like me." The younger Uchiha confesses.

"What do you mean by that?" Itachi asks with a raised eyebrow.

"Damaged. Barley able to tell right from wrong." The other man says.

"Sasuke, you are a good person. You've done some horrible things, but that was mostly because of what I put you through. You can tell right from wrong. Naruto wouldn't love you, if you couldn't. You shouldn't think of yourself that way. Go find him and talk to him. You are going to have his child soon. If you are worried about something, you should be able to talk to him about it." Her brother advises.

The younger Uchiha nods. She knew that her brother was right. It was probably best to discuss things now, before the baby came.

"I'm going to go talk to him. Maybe it'll help." Suki says as she heads off to do exactly that.

* * *

About five minutes later, she found herself knocking on the door of the Otokage Office. Naruto calls out for her to come in. So she does.

"Suki! What brings you here?" He asks loudly enough that anyone nearby would think he was talking to the nomadic ninja and not Sasuke.

Once she was inside though, he locks the door. The blonde then quickly performs a soundproofing jutsu. Naruto could feel that his Mate was distressed about something, so he holds her.

"What's wrong? Are you okay?" He asks anxiously.

"I think so. I'm just worried that our Bond might be messing with your head. I just can't stop thinking about what happened." She whispers.

"Yeah. I have to admit that I feel guilty too, but I know that I made the right choice." The blonde tells her as he kisses her forehead.

Sasuke sighs and leans into her Mate. Maybe she was being stupid. No amount of guilt was going to bring Sakura back. At least Naruto had given her a quick death. Odds were that their former teammate would have ended up dying on the battlefield in a far more painful fashion later on.

"I know. I'm sorry." She whispers.

"What are you sorry about you? You didn't do anything wrong." He says as he lightly nips at her Mating Mark.

"Not being a better person. I'm sorry for putting you in that position. I'm sorry that I didn't stop you. Sorry for making you feel even more guilty when I know that you were just trying to protect me. I'm just worried that maybe your Dominant Mate Instincts might be dangerous." She whispers.

**_"It's natural for Submissives to get a little wary at some point. You just need to reassure her. That's all."_** Kurama says.

Naruto bites his lower lip. He hated that Sakrua had driven a wedge between them. Maybe in a way, she had gotten what she wanted to a certain degree. But he wasn't going to lose his Mate over her or over anything.

"I promise it won't happen again." Naruto says as he kisses Sasuke.

"Mmm good. I love you. It's just that it's all so overwhelming. I miss being a man. I just barely got over my Morning Sickness and then Sakura had to come along and complicate things." Sasuke mutters as she leans into her Mate.

Screw Sakura. She was dead. She had a loving Mate and they were going to have a family together. Naruto adored her and was afraid of losing her. He was sincere. He wouldn't do it again.

It was a tragic accident what happened to the other woman, but that's all it was. An accident. Naruto had just lost control of his instincts and thought that he was protecting their family. That was all.

"It's okay. It's natural to get overwhelmed. I mean I've only ever been a woman for a couple hours. I can't imagine what it's like to be one for months or all the other stuff you're going through. Well I mean I can sorta imagine it. I can feel what you feel through the Bond, but that's a little different than experiencing it yourself directly." The blonde says.

"Naruto, you're babbling." Sasuke observes in amusement.

"Right. Yeah. Sorry. So I was talking with Kurama about it. How many children did you want? I mean this has to be exhausting for you, but you said you wanted to restore your Clan. I don't think even with Itachi's help, that you are really going to want to stop at one. But do you really want to go through this again?" The blue eyed ninja asks softly.

Sasuke pauses as she considers that important question. Naruto had just brought up some valid points there. One child wasn't much of a Clan revival. Itachi was having one child by blood and "adopting" another. So that made two Uchihas by blood for the second generation. That still seemed low.

"At least two or three. It all depends on what Itachi does and how this time goes." She whispers.

"I can work with that. Come on. Let's get you back to our room. I feel awful about all the stress you've been under. From now on, I want you nice and relaxed." Naruto says.

Sasuke smiles. She was lucky and she knew it. She had such a doting Mate. Idly, she realizes that they were both kinda insane.

She had actually agreed to become a woman and carry a child to term. Actually, Sasuke had agreed to carry multiple children to term. And Naruto, had killed their former teammate to protect her and their baby.

That wasn't all though. Instead of going back to the Leaf, they had legitimized a criminal village. Now they were both going to be co-kages. Yes, they were insane.

"Naruto, do you think insane people know that they are insane?" Sasuke whispers.

"Hmm. I don't know. I mean if they are sane enough to recognize that they are insane, I think that kinda makes them sane. It doesn't matter though. I'd rather be insane and have you, than sane and not." Naruto declares.

Sasuke smiles. That was true. He felt the same way. Their family and love was unconventional to say the least, but it was real.

"I feel the same way. I love you." Sasuke says with a smile and giggles when Naruto scoops her up bridal style.

"I love you too." Naruto says and he carries her off.

It was really cute when Sasuke giggled. He was going to miss that when Sasuke was a man again. Maybe though, he could get him to laugh more. Sasuke did have a great laugh.

He smiles and sets Sasuke on their bed a few minutes later. It probably wasn't healthy to love someone as much as he loved Sasuke and their baby. Naruto care though. Sasuke had forgiven him. He had never been more happy.

"Promise me that you won't run away again?" He asks as he lays next to his Mate and wraps his arms around her.

"I promise." Sasuke whispers and cuddles into Naruto before falling asleep.

He'd killed for Sasuke. Naruto knew it was wrong, but he'd do it again in a heartbeat. While Sasuke had protested what he did, he knew that she would do the same for him. That was one of the advantages of having a Mating Bond. There was never doubting what your partner felt for you and what they didn't. Sasuke loved him too.

Naruto made a promise to Sasuke though. He intended to keep it. He'd just have to find a way to make sure there wasn't another accident. That was all.


	23. Them?!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sasuke and Naruto attend a very important doctor's appointment, only to receive some surprising news.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews. Unfortunately, my update rate is going to be a bit unpredictable for the foreseeable future. Never fear though. I have no intentions of abandoning this story. With that being said, I hope that you all enjoy this chapter.
> 
> Chapter Notation: This chapter and the next one will each feature a fairly significant time skip. I think everyone is eager to get to see some Uchiha-Uzumaki babies ;).

"You're kidding me, right?" Naruto asks in amusement was he sees Sasuke stare into the mirror and adjust one of Jugo's shirts that she had borrowed.

His Mate just flat out refused actual maternity clothes, but she no longer fit into the clothes that Karin had lent her or her old clothes. Sasuke just refused to wear lingerie, dresses, or anything that she couldn't have worn as a man. So she had ended up asking Jugo for some of his clothes.

Jugo was a giant. Suki was petite. Really, his shirts could have easily been turned into dresses on her. Somehow though, Sasuke had cut them up and done some tailoring.

Now they were shirts and pants. When Naruto had first realized what his lover was doing, he had asked where Sasuke learned how to sew and received a glower as the response. Wisely, the blonde hadn't asked that question again.

"What do you mean?" Sasuke asks 'innocently.'

"You don't seriously feel fat, do you? Sasuke, you're pregnant. Of course your belly is going to get bigger." Naruto says.

Sasuke grumbles. She DID feel fat. Her weight had almost never changed much. Maybe a pound or two here or there. Her harsh training regimes when she had been a man, had ensured that. Now, she felt and looked fat.

"I know THAT! It's just different knowing that in my head in theory than seeing it in reality." Sasuke grumbles.

Naruto shakes his head in amusement. He smiles and wraps his arms around Sasuke and cuddles to her. His Mate was beautiful and that was all there was to it.

"You look beautiful. I know what will cheer you up though." The blonde says slyly.

"And what do you think is going to distract me from the fact that I look like a pufferfish?" The raven haired woman inquires.

"I guess you forgot about it because you were too busy pouting, but today is your doctor's appointment. The appointment where we find out if it's a boy or a girl." Naruto says happily.

Well that perked Sasuke up. She had been wondering about that. A boy would be easier to relate to, but a girl might have better luck than the men in her family.

She winces as she remembers what had happened to herself, Itachi, Obito, Izuna, Madara, and the other men that were killed during the Massacre. Of course the women had died in the Massacre as well, but overall they seemed to have happier endings than most of the men in her family. She decides it didn't matter though. She would love her son or daughter, no matter what their gender was.

**_"She's anxious. You might want to comfort her."_** Kurama advises.

**"Yeah. I know. It's only natural. I mean after everything her family has been through, I'd be more worried if she wasn't anxious."** Naruto replies.

"Hey, it's going to be okay. You know that, right?" Naruto asks as he places a kiss to his Mate's forehead.

Sasuke smiles. There were definitely advantages to having the Mating Bond. It made it easier to understand each other, but she was almost certain Naruto would have realized what was wrong without the Bond in place. Still the Uchiha couldn't deny that it was convenient.

"Yeah. I know that. Let's go. Kabuto will be even bitchier than usual, if we keep him waiting. Not that he can do anything about it, but I am sick of the dirty looks." Sasuke mutters. Naruto nods in agreement and the two of them head off.

* * *

As much as he was still furious with Sanzara for attacking his Mate, the blonde was rather grateful for his foresight in one key area. Putting a seal on the medic, had been a stroke of genius.

"Alright, Kabuto. We want to know if we are having a boy or a girl. Don't be a jerk about it." The blue eyed Kage warns him.

Kabuto mentally growls. Damn them both and damn this seal. If it wasn't for this seal, he would have already slipped off. He couldn't though. The silver haired medic was effectively a slave and they all know it.

"Well let's get this over with. Might as well see what gender demon spawn you are having." The bespectacled man states as Sasuke gets on the table.

BAM. Kabuto gets slammed into a wall. Immediately the entire atmosphere of the room had changed. It had gone from one of mild amusement and irritation to one of danger. Well at least for Kabuto.

"I told you not to be a jerk. If you talk about our child like that again, you'll regret it." The blonde seethes at him and Sasuke watches with some alarm as vicious chakra of the Nine Tail's began to filled the room.

"Naruto, it's fine. He was just being a prick." The expectant mother says.

**_"Sasuke said that you couldn't kill any more innocent people for your kit. Kabuto is hardly innocent though. Let's have some fun. I don't particularly care for his slur against the child."_** The Nine Tails muses.

The Kage was very tempted. Technically, Kurama was right. Kabuto was far from an innocent. Somehow though, he doubted that Sasuke would see things that way and he wasn't going to risk distressing his pregnant Mate over scum like Kabuto.

"You're right. Kabuto, just do your damn job. Don't give us an excuse to get rid of you. If you do, we will take it. Your medical skills make you valuable, but you are hardly the only skilled medic in the world." The former Leaf Ninja warns him.

"I never thought that I would see the day when Sasuke was the less bloodthirsty between the two of you." Kabuto mutters as he applies the necessary gel to Sasuke's belly.

Sasuke hisses at him. Damn that was cold. That was ice cold and she wasn't the only one that thought so. She felt the baby kick in protest and smiles.

Every time the baby kicked, that mean that he or she was alive and healthy enough to kick. Sasuke always took that as a good sign. Some days, it felt like she would be pregnant forever. Other days, her impending parenthood seemed to be barreling towards her. It was overwhelming to say the least.

"Hmm let's see what we have. Well Naruto, it seems your hyperactivity extends even to your sperm." The medic muses.

"What do you mean?! Is there something wrong with the baby?!" Naruto demands.

"No. There's nothing wrong with either of them." The silver haired man replies.

Sasuke blinks. There's nothing wrong with **THEM**? Them as in plural. There was more than one baby inside her?!

Naruto looked equally as confused. What did Kabuto mean by that? Wait. Was Sasuke carrying more than one baby?! That couldn't be possible, could it?

"You're carrying twins. At the moment, I'm trying to determine if they are fraternal or identical. The first fetus is definitely female though." Kabuto informs them.

"Sasuke! Did you hear that?! We have a daughter! We're having twins!" Naruto exclaims excitedly.

"I heard him." Sasuke says as she smiles down at her swollen stomach.

Maybe that was why she felt fat. She wasn't carrying just one baby, but two. They were going to have twins. That was both exciting and a little terrifying. It was hard enough to wrap her mind around the idea that she was pregnant with one baby, let alone two!

"It looks like you are having identical twins. The second fetus is also female. I still can't believe this. Two demon spawn. Naruto has to be overly enthusiastic about everything." Kabuto mutters in disgust.

SMACK. This time it wasn't Naruto that hit Kabuto. She had just about enough of his idiotic comments. The Uchiha wasn't going to allow him to spoil their moment.

"Nice shot!" Naruto says with glee after Sasuke smacks Kabuto with enough force to break a bone or two.

"Thank you. I don't want to kill him. He's too useful during my pregnancy, but I'm not opposed to him getting beaten until he learns how to conduct himself professionally." Sasuke informs Naruto.

* * *

Meanwhile in the Leaf, Tsunade sighs as she takes a sip from her flask. She couldn't believe it. Sakura had been gone for months. It still felt like it was only yesterday, that she had taken the young woman on to be her apprentice.

She knew that she should take another. Tsunade wasn't getting any younger. It was important to pass on everything that she had learned before she passed on, but she just didn't have the heart to do it.

"My Lady, are you alright?" Shizune asks in concern.

"Yes, I'm fine. I was just thinking. It's been months since Sakura took her own life, but it still feels so fresh. I can't help but feel like there was something that I could have done to prevent it." The busty blonde admits.

Shizune sighs. It wasn't Tsunade's fault, but perhaps it was inevitable that the Hokage would blame herself for her student's passing. Any teacher would have a hard time losing their student under the best of circumstances, but suicide was almost unthinkable.

"I know. I miss her as well, but sadly we are no strangers to loss. That's what happens when one becomes a ninja. You have to prepare yourself for the possibility that you will die or your loved ones will die long before you reach old age." The mousy brunette says gently.

Tsunade knew that Shizune was right. She had said similar things herself in the past, many times. That didn't make it any easier. There was now another giant hole in her heart. Jirayia had been right, she did carry the loss of everyone in her bosom and it was a very heavy weight these days.

It was just so hard to believe. Sakura had her whole life ahead of her. No one enjoyed finding out that their first love wouldn't be their only love, but it shouldn't have upset her so much that she would commit suicide. It didn't make any sense.

""I know that in my head. My heart just hasn't quite accepted it yet. What is that you have for me?" Tsunade asks.

"Oh it's just a letter from the Kazekage." Shizune says as she hands her mentor the scroll.

Tsunade thanks her and opens it curiously. She blinks at what she read. Well that was certainly unexpected. It looked like Mei was going to get her wish after all.

"What's it say, My Lady?" Her assistant asks curiously.

There weren't many things that could stun her Lady in such a fashion. Tsunade was most certainly shocked about something. So naturally, Shizune's interest was peeked.

"It seems that Mei is going to get married after all." Tsunade muses.

"Oh! That's wonderful news! Its' so unexpected though. I didn't even know that she was seeing anyone. Who is the lucky guy? Oh and when is the wedding? Are we invited? Well of course we must be. Your Hokage and I'm your assistant." The brunette says.

Tsunade chuckles. Yes, unexpected was putting it mildly. She had no idea that Mei was seeing anyone either. It appeared that somehow the other Kage had managed to participate in a secret romance though.

"That's what makes it so unexpected. She's marrying the Kazekage." Tsunade answers.

Shizune blinks. She hadn't seen that one coming. Gaara was significantly younger than her. Actually, it was hard to picture the stoic red head marrying anyone, but especially the other feisty Kage.

"I have to admit that I wouldn't have foreseen that match. Well that's wonderful news." The other woman says.

"Yes, it is. God knows that we needed a bit of levity after everything that has happened. First, Naruto and Sasuke leave. Then they become the leaders of the Sound Village. And then there was the loss of Sakura." Tsunade whispers.

She didn't dare say it any louder than that. The Hokage didn't want to break down crying again. She'd already cried all her tears. No more. She wasn't going to disgrace Sakura's memory by becoming a basket case. She owed her former student more than that.

"Yes, My Lady. This will be good for all of us." Shizune agrees.

"Well I'll write him back and let Gaara know that we would be delighted to attend his wedding. It should be quite the grand occasion. I'll have to get a new dress kimono." The blonde muses with a smile as she pens her response.

* * *

Back in the Sound Village, naturally Team Taka and the Akatsuki couple wanted to know what Sasuke and Naruto were having. Itachi had arranged for quite the impressive private 'family dinner' for all of them. Sasuke had to begrudgingly admit that her brother had done a great job at whipping up a fine feast on such short notice.

"So 'Suki' what are you having?" Suigetsu asks.

Suigetsu seemed to delight in the fact that Sasuke was now a woman. It meant that he could make endless jokes. Well as long as Naruto was in earshot. God help anyone who upset his precious Mate in ANY way. That would turn the angel into a demon so fast that your head would spin.

"Twins. Two girls." Sasuke answers.

"Oh that's great news! They are going to be so cute!" Karin chimes in.

Sasuke nods. Damn right they were going to be the most adorable children on the planet. Well they had BETTER be. Sasuke was hoping that she didn't go through Morning Sickness and her stomach being turned a soccer field for nothing.

"Yeah. Of course, they are." Naruto says proudly as he kisses Sasuke's cheek.

"So what about you and Kisame?" Sasuke asks Itachi.

"It's a little early to determine the gender of our children. We'll know soon enough though." Itachi replies as he pours himself and Kisame a glass of wine.

Sasuke glowers at Itachi for that. That wasn't fair! She couldn't have any wine because she was pregnant. Yet the criminals got wine, because they had surrogates. Life just wasn't fair sometimes!

Not that Sasuke had ever been a heavy drinker, but it was nice once in awhile. That and it was the general principle of the thing. If Itachi could drink, she should be able to drink as well!

"You're adorable when you sulk." Naruto says.

"Oh that reminds me. This arrived in the mail today." Jugo says as he hands Naruto a scroll with the Sand's official seal on it.

Naruto blinks. Hmm. This had to be from Gaara. He didn't know anyone in the Sand besides the Sabaku Siblings and Baki. He doubted Baki, Temari, or Kankuro would be writing to him though. So it had to be the red head by default really.

"Whoa. I didn't know Gaara had it in him." He mutters.

"What do you mean?" Sasuke asks as he leans over Naruto's shoulder and reads the scroll.

**Dear Naruto,**

**I am getting married next month. I would very much like it, if you could attend. I would invite Sasuke, but I know that he is busy with your surrogate. I hope that the pregnancy is going well.**

**I am getting married to Mei. It is a long tale and one that I would be happy to tell you in person. I do hope that you are able to attend. I also have another piece of news that I don't to put in a letter. It is very good news though.**

**Gaara, the Fifth Kazekage.**

Sasuke blinks. Gaara was getting married? He was getting married to Mei? Well that was interesting to say the least. It could only mean one thing though.

"Sounds like Gaara knocked her up." Sasuke says bluntly.

Suigetsu falls out of his chair laughing at that. Damn. Who knew that girl Sasuke had a sense of humor? Though idly, he muses it was probably true.

"Oh come on, Sasuke. Just because he's getting married, doesn't mean that he got Mei pregnant. Besides, she's over 31. I doubt that's what happened." Naruto says.

"Women can have children in their thirties and even into their forties. It gets more difficult to conceive after thirty-five, but it's still perfectly possible." Sasuke reasons.

Itachi blinks. Well that was all certainly true. He was surprised that his 'sister' knew it though. Then again, Sasuke had been living as a woman for several months. It was likely that she had brushed up on her knowledge of female anatomy.

"Sasuke is perfectly accurate there." The elder Uchiha says.

"Yeah. I guess that's true. It's just really weird trying to picture Gaara as being a father. Though I guess it's a good thing! Maybe our kids will all be friends!" Naruto says brightly.

Sasuke considers that and nods. Perhaps they should try to encourage that. It would strengthen ties between their villages and she did want her children to have friends.

"Maybe. We should send our congratulations and go to the wedding. Naturally, I can't go in my real body. But I'm sure we can come up with some sort of excuse for why I'm tagging along." Sasuke says.

"Yeah. We'll come up with something. Don't worry." Naruto says with a reassuring grin.

The expectant mother smiles and nods. Yes, they'd come up with a suitable excuse. There was no way that she was going to miss Gaara's wedding.

After all, if it wasn't for the red head, the Sound would still be a Criminal Village. They likely would have left by now or had stay underground. The Kazekage had done them a big favor by recognizing this place. The very least that they could do was attend his wedding.

"Who knew that Gaara was into cougars?" Sasuke asks with a smirk.

"Well I'll be damned. So red got laid?" Kisame asks and Itachi rolls his eyes good-naturedly at his lover.

Honestly, he loved Kisame. Truly, he did. He did with all his heart. Sometimes though, the man could be more than a little vulgar. This just happened to be one of those times.

"Yes, that does appear to be the case. Congratulations Sasuke and Naruto. For what it's worth, I am very happy for the both of you and look forward to meeting my nieces." Itachi says.

"Thanks. Naruto, let's go back to our home. It's late." Sasuke says.

* * *

Naruto nods and the two head off after bidding goodnight to the others. He smiles as they walk side by side and wraps an arm around the "mother" of his children. Today was a really good day.

They were having twins and apparently Gaara was getting married. Hell Gaara might even be joining them in parenthood shortly. That would be great!

"I'm glad that you're happy. I'm happy too. Though we really should start thinking about more practical things." Sasuke says.

Naruto opens the door and raises an eyebrow. He wasn't really sure what Sasuke meant by more practical things. That could mean anything.

"Like what?" He asks in confusion once they were alone.

"Well now that we know that we are having two girls, we can start choosing their names." Sasuke says.

"Oh right! Good point! Yeah. We'll come up with something really cool!" Naruto says and he nods his head vigorously as if to emphasize his point.

Sasuke shakes her head in amusement. She smiles and kisses Naruto on the cheek. Her loser could be rather cute sometimes. Fatherhood agreed with him. That made sense though. He acted like an overgrown kid half the time himself.

"Yes, that is what I had in mind. Names are important. Our children will have to live with whatever we choose for the rest of their lives. So we aren't going to do something stupid like naming them after ramen!" Sasuke insists.

"Hey! I have an awesome name. You don't seem to mind it much when you are screaming it!" Naruto smugly protests.

Sasuke hated how easily she blushed in this form. Really, she was going to be so relieved when she was a man again. It couldn't come soon enough. How she loved to be in her real body and to hold their daughters in her arms.

"Awe you're blushing. That's cute. I know how you feel though. I can't wait to hold them." Naruto says as he wraps his arms around Sasuke protectively.

"I am not blushing. You're imagining things." Sasuke insists.

"Right. Whatever you say. You totally aren't blushing." Naruto says and kisses he Sasuke's cheek.

Sasuke nods in agreement. Good. Well they both knew that he was blushing, but as long as Naruto was willing to pretend otherwise then everything was okay. He knew that the blonde was being sarcastic, but it was the principle of the thing.

"What do you think that Kisame and Itachi are going to have?" Naruto asks.

"A mermaid or a merman?" Sasuke replies with a smirk.

Naruto bursts out laughing. That answer was so very Sasuke. Though in the back of his mind, he couldn't really argue with the sassy retort. It was possible. Well at least it was possible when it came to Kisame's biological child.

"Maybe. I wonder if his kid is going to have blue skin like him or those wicked looking teeth." The blonde muses.

"I'm not sure. I guess that kid will technically be my nephew or niece, but I just don't feel the same kinship that I feel towards Itachi's biological child. I know that I'm being silly. I'm not going to treat them any differently, of course. Maybe the familial bond will emerge after their born. I hope it does anyway." Sasuke says.

Naruto sighs and kisses Sasuke. His lover shouldn't feel guilty about something that hadn't even happened yet. He could understand where she was coming from though. It was hard to feel like Kisame's kid was her niece or nephew. The kid wouldn't share any blood with Sasuke, but still. Family was about more than genetics.

Sasuke smiles and returns the kiss. She couldn't hear what Naruto was thinking, but the feeling she understood. That's why she smiled. She knew that her Mate cared.

"It'll come. Just give it time. There are things that are thicker than blood ties. Look at us." Naruto says with a grin.

"Yeah. I guess you're right. I have no idea what I'm going to wear for Gaara's wedding though. Somehow, I doubt one of Jugo's tailored shirts will do the trick this time." Sasuke says.

"Does this mean that I finally get to see you in a dress?" Naruto asks hopefully.

"Oh fuck you, loser. Just fuck you." Sasuke mutters in agitation.

Naruto knew that he was playing with fire here. Still it was fun to get under his Mate's skin sometimes. He just couldn't resist pulling Sasuke's leg, just a little bit.

"Well you already did. That's how you got pregnant in the first place, but yes please." He says cheekily.

SMACK. Sasuke smacks her lover upside the head. Naruto had that one coming. He had been asking for it. The blonde had to know what was going to happen after saying something like that.

"You are SUCH a loser." Sasuke mutters.

"Maybe, but I'm your loser and you're my bastard." Naruto says cheerfully.

Sasuke found herself smiling despite everything. That was certainly true. Naruto was hers and she was his. That was just how it was.

"Always and forever." She whispers and kisses his forehead before they both turned in for the night.

It was so easy to fall asleep in his arms. Sasuke always felt completely safe curled up next to Naruto. Safe and warm, really. She loved falling asleep and waking up in his arms. The only thing better than that was knowing that they were going to be together forever.


	24. Two Princesses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sasuke and Naruto welcome their daughters into the world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews. There will be a pretty major time skip in this chapter because I'm sure that Sasuke is eager to go back to his old self again. With that in mind, happy reading.
> 
> Chapter Notation: Gaara did know that Sasuke was now a woman. He just hadn't seen her before or realized that Suki was Sasuke initially. He does by the time he gets back to the hotel. Hopefully, that clears up any confusion.

Sasuke smiles as she flips through a photo album. Most of the pictures were fairly recent with the vast majority of them being from their time in the Sound Village together. Some were from their time in the Leaf though.

At the moment, she was glancing over Gaara's wedding picture. Sasuke had attended with Suki. She shakes her head in exasperation as she remembers how Gaara found out that Suki was actually Sasuke.

_"This has to be the biggest wedding that I've seen!" Naruto exclaimed._

_"Yes, well Mei has been dreaming of her wedding day for quite some time. I saw no reason not to indulge her. That and we are both Kages. Our wedding had to be grand by default. Here is some wine for you Naruto and water for your friend." The red head said as he hands them some drinks._

_Sasuke politely thanked Gaara and drank her water. It was obvious she was pregnant now. There was no hiding it. So far though, no one outside of Taka, Kisame, Itachi, Gaara, and Naruto knew that she was Sasuke._

_Well in Gaara's case, he knew that Sasuke was now a woman. But the red head didn't know that Suki was Sasuke. Still no one else that knew, had lived to tell the tale and she planned on keeping it that way._

_"Well you two looked great up there. Sorry, that Sasuke couldn't be here." Naruto says._

_"It's alright. I understand. How far along is your surrogate anyway?" Gaara asked curiously._

_"Oh about six months. Sasuke didn't want to leave her when she's over halfway through her pregnancy." The blonde said apologetically._

_Gaara nodded sympathetically. That's when Mei threw the bouquet and "Suki" caught it. The pregnant woman looked absolutely mortified._

_"Oh. Well I suppose you don't really need those flowers. That's assuming that the father already married you." Mei said._

_"You're right. I don't need them. They are beautiful though. You're glowing by the way." Sasuke said tactfully._

_Sasuke knew that was the standard polite response. She just wanted to get out of there. This wedding would be so much more enjoyable as a man. Now she had everyone staring at her because she caught the fucking flowers. Damn it._

_The night continued on. There was beautiful music, great food, many amusing toasts, and lots of dancing. By then time the festivities finally started to die down, the Sun was beginning to rise. They had celebrated all night._

_"Well it's late. Suki, you should probably head back to your room and get some rest. Want me to walk you there?" Naruto asked gallantly._

_"I'd like that. Thank you. Good night, Mei. Good night, Gaara. Congratulations on your marriage." Suki said as she allowed herself to be led off by her lover._

_To say that she was relived to be alone with Naruto, would have been an understatement. Sasuke grumbled as she tried to get out of her damn dress kimono. She loathed this kimono. It was the ultimate humiliation!_

_Naruto on the other hand apparently fucking loved it. Something about how it accented her breasts and ass nicely. The raven haired woman could feel his approval through their Bond._

_"Oh it wasn't that bad, was it?" Naruto asked as he laughed and helped her slide out of her kimono._

_"Naruto, I was wearing a fucking women's kimono. It was horrible!" Sasuke grumbled._

_"I'm sorry, but you kinda had to dress up for Gaara's wedding. There wasn't any way around it. If it makes you feel any better, you look beautiful." Her lover said as he kissed her forehead._

_It did make her feel better. God, she was pathetic. One compliment from her Mate and she was practically purring with contentment. She blamed her Mating Instincts. Yeah. That must be it._

_"It helps a little. You still aren't going to see me in lingerie though. I have to have some pride. It's bad enough that I had to become a woman to carry our twins for nine months. I'm not wearing lingerie." Sasuke grumbled._

_"That's okay. I like the bandages anyway. It's fun to unwrap them." Naruto growled at her playfully._

_Unbeknownst to them at the moment, Gaara had decided to check on his friend. He was currently watching from behind the door. He couldn't see what was going on, but he could hear what they were saying._

_"What the Hell?!" Gaara muttered to himself._

_That's when Naruto's keen hearing heard him. He growled in a not so playfully way and opened the door. Quickly the blonde grabbed Gaara and threw him against the wall._

_At the moment, he was just acting on instinct. There was a threat to his pregnant Mate and he was going to take care of it. It hadn't registered that it was his friend, until he saw a familiar pair of aqua eyes and red hair._

_"Gaara?" Naruto asked in confusion._

_Sasuke quickly threw a blanket around herself. She was still wearing her bandages as if they were a lingerie set, but she felt rather exposed. There was no reason to give Gaara more of an eyeful than he had already gotten._

_"Yes, it's me. I know that you said that Sasuke was now a woman, but actually seeing her this way is something else. That woman is SASUKE?!" He demanded in disbelief._

_"Yeah. I know that it takes some getting used to, but we had good reasons for doing this. We decided it would be better to carry our own children using the Sexy Jutsu. It takes care of the jealousy issue, makes sure that our babies have parts of both of us inside them, and really who is going to take better care of them during the pregnancy than us?" The blonde replied._

_The red head didn't know how to respond to that. The idea of two men being together, he could wrap his head around. The idea of Sasuke becoming a woman so that he could carry a pregnancy to term, well that was a stretch. He considered himself to be pretty open minded, but damn._

_"Well three things do immediately spring to mind. The first would be, what the fuck is wrong with both of you?! How did you come up with this crazy idea?! I get the logic behind it, but how does something like this even enter your mind?" The Kazekage thunders at them._

_Sasuke was putting his life at risk with this crazy stunt. If the Uchiha died, then Naruto would be devastated. That would make the blonde very dangerous. He was a formidable ninja and he possessed the Nine Tailed Fox. He could literally level entire villages in his grief!_

_"Well they don't call me the most unpredictable ninja for nothing?" The blue eyed ninja asked nervously._

_"Clearly. My next question would be are you alright, Sasuke? Are you getting the proper care that you need? I don't want anything to happen to you because if you die, Naruto will likely go into a grief-stricken rage." The Kage points out._

_Sasuke blinked. She hadn't really considered that. Gaara was right though. If she died, Naruto really would lose it. Quite honestly, she didn't even want to think about that possibility._

_"I'm alright. Kabuto is an ass, but he's a damn fine medic. We have a Curse Seal on him. So we know he'll do his job and not try to off me in some sneaky fashion. Thanks for your concern though. What was your other question?" The raven haired woman inquired._

_"Is it odd that I think you should have been born a woman? It suits you. Naruto wouldn't let you see me before. He though that you would be too self-conscious. Though it's rather obvious that you have nothing to be self-conscious about." Gaara said simply._

_It was difficult to tell who that comment angered more. Naruto or Sasuke. Sasuke for the "insult" to her manhood. Naruto because well he was jealous. Very jealous._

_"You have Mei. Back off, Gaara. He, well she's, mine!" The blue eyed Otokage growls warningly._

_"Yes, it is odd. I'm much more masculine than feminine. Thank you, very much." Sasuke grumbled and leaned into her Mate._

_"I was merely making an innocent observation. I meant no offense. Well I suppose that does explain how Sasuke could bare to be away from Naruto for nine months." He mused._

So that was how Gaara finally saw "Suki" in person. After getting over his initial shock, the red head had been surprisingly supportive. Perhaps Sasuke should have realized that once the Kazekage found out, it was only a matter of time before Mei did. Now she had a "Pregnancy Buddy."

"So how often do your twins kick?" Mei asks as they were having lunch.

"Pretty often. I think I'm beginning to be able to tell which one is kicking when though." Sasuke says as she sips her tea.

Mei nods. She was grateful she was only carrying one child. She loved children, but couldn't imagine pushing out two of them on the same day. Though Sasuke kept insisting she was going to have a C-Section.

"I'm surprised that Naruto let you out of his sight. You are due any day now." The other woman points out.

"Oh it isn't easy. Naruto is really overprotective. I just let him know that if he wants to be able to ever father more children again, that I needed some space. It's sweet, but his hovering is driving crazy." The raven haired woman admits and Mie nods sympathetically.

Gaara had been adorably worried sick. She felt bad for him on some days, but it was mostly rather cute. Sometimes she didn't know who was more nervous. Him or her?

"Well the twins should be coming soon and that won't be an issue. Are you nervous?" Mei asks.

It was fascinating really. Women had talked about this forever. What would a man's reaction be, if he had to go through childbirth? It looked like they were about to find out.

"I'd be lying, if I said no. Still I have one of the best medics in the world and I'm getting a C-Section. Mostly, I just want the twins to get here. I also can't wait to go back to being me." Sasuke admits with a sigh.

"Yes, I imagine that would be the case. Do you want some more tea?" Mei asks.

"Yeah. That'd be good. OH GOD!" Sasuke cries out in horror.

Mei's eyes widen. That didn't sound like a good, "Oh God!" That sounded like the bad kind.

"Are you alright? What's wrong?" The Kage inquires anxiously.

"I need to get to the hospital. I think that was a contraction." She says in a panicked voice.

Mei nods. She swiftly takes Suki to the Sound's Hospital. She and Gaara were visiting their friends. That was why they were there.

* * *

"I need someone to notify, Lord Naruto immediately. He has asked to be briefed when Suki goes into labor." The pregnant woman informs one of the medics.

"Don't worry about that. I already sent the word out to him." Sasuke says.

Their Bond meant that Naruto could feel what she did. That meant her Mate would be here. He'd be here soon. Then everything would be okay. That's what she told herself in her mind over and over again anyway.

She had thought she was ready for this, but Sasuke felt herself panicking. Oh God. Was she actually going through with this?! What if something went wrong?! What if Sakura had been right?! What if their twins were born with two heads or something?!

Sure enough, Naruto came rushing in. Sasuke had never been so relieved in all of her life. She knew that she was in for a long night, but that didn't bother her. She had Naruto now. Everything would be alright.

"I'm here. It's okay." Naruto assures her.

"I know." Sasuke replies with a smile and holds her Mate's hand.

Kabuto shook his head. He would rather be staring at their corpses than delivering their demon spawn. For the millionth time, he mentally curses Sanzara. This entire situation just wasn't fair.

That bastard was dead now, yet the Curse Seal remained. It should have disappeared with his death. Apparently, he had been clever about it though. He had purposely copied the Hyuga Technique.

"Stop glaring at my Mate or I will castrate you." Naruto growls at the silver haired medic menacingly.

There wouldn't have been much point in using the technique, if it only lasted as long as the sealer lived. Otherwise, the Branch Members would have found ways to ensure whoever sealed them died and that they would gain their freedom. No, apparently the Hyugas had found away around that and so had Sanzara. Damn him.

"If you castrate me, I won't be able to focus on delivering the twins." The other ninja points out.

"Damn. Good point." Naruto grumbles.

The night passed. Kabuto performed the C-Section successfully. This was despite the fact that Sasuke was more than a little wary about having the incision made. (Then again, who wouldn't be).

* * *

At about half past nine in the morning, two loud cries were heard as Kabuto successfully helped Sasuke to deliver their twins. Two little Uchiha-Uzumaki princesses were born. Naruto had never seen anything more beautiful in his life.

"Sasuke, stay in your female form until the drugs wear off. I don't know if it would have a negative effect on your real body or not." Kabuto advises as he inspects the children.

Much to his annoyance, they both seemed perfectly healthy. Certainly, they had inherited their blonde father's impressive lung capacity. He had never met two children who were more loud.

They had inherited quite a bit from both of their fathers, he noted. From Sasuke they had inherited ivory cream colored skin, raven black hair, and classical Uchiha facial features. Naruto was also represented. They both had his whisker like markings, sapphire blue eyes, and definitely his smile.

"Their cute for demon spawn." Kabuto begrudgingly admits.

Sasuke smiles when the girls are pronounced healthy and placed into her arms. They were the most adorable things that she had ever seen. She smiles and cuddles them close to her chest.

"I was thinking Kushina and Mikoto. You know after our mothers?" Naruto suggests.

"That sounds like a good idea. The louder one is Kushina." Sasuke proclaims with a smirk.

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?!" The blonde demands at that announcement.

Sasuke merely shrugs and smiles down at their babies. It was rather obvious what it meant. Naruto had a big mouth. Sasuke knew that her lover hadn't inherited it from the Fourth. So he must take after his mother.

"Just that you and your mother had loudmouths. I love you both unconditionally of course. I'm just making an observation and we do need to distinguish between them somehow." The raven haired woman points out.

"Yeah. I guess that's true." Naruto agrees.

He smiles and kisses the top of Sasuke's head as he looks down at the twins adoringly. They were just like he imagined them to be, only somehow even cuter. He couldn't believe he and Sasuke had made something so tiny and adorable. Well two somethings.

**_"Ah ha! I knew there was a reason you chose the Uchiha. She wants you to take out the trash. I can sense it through our Bond."_** Kurama informs him.

"Sasuke, are you sure?" Naruto asks and Sasuke nods in confirmation.

She knew that she was being more than a tad hypocritical. Sasuke had asked Naruto not to kill anyone for their babies again. Though she HAD specified innocent. Kabuto certainly wasn't innocent.

"He's taken detailed notes and we can always replace him later. I don't want that snake slithering around in this village, while our children are here." Sasuke tells him.

Well that was really all that Naruto needed to hear. He drags Kabuto out of the room. The children didn't need to see him kill this son of a bitch. He had it coming. After all, he kept calling their children demon spawn and while that was somewhat accurate, it was obviously intended to be a cruel slur.

"Don't worry. Your father will be right back." Sasuke assures the twins and cuddles them some more.

* * *

A few hours and one very dead medic later, the new family return to their home. The drugs had worn off and Naruto was setting the twins in their very large crib. It was rather ornate. A gift from Gaara.

Personally, Naruto thought that the red head might be trying to suck up after he made that crack about Sasuke being a better woman. Well he couldn't lie. It was a very effective way to suck up. At least the twins seemed to like it.

Sasuke comes out of the bathroom. He had spent the last twenty minutes in there checking to make sure everything was exactly where it was supposed to be and had not been altered in ANY way. The Uchiha Patriarch was rather glad to see that was indeed the case.

"You have no idea how fucking good it feels to be back to normal." Sasuke says as he strides over to his family.

"Well Gaara was right. You made a beautiful woman, but I'm glad you are back. I mean you're gorgeous either way and the sex is fantastic, but this is the real you." Naruto says with a grin.

Sasuke nods approvingly at that answer. He smiles and leans over the crib. Their daughters were beautiful. He never thought that he could help to make two such innocent beings.

"Do you think this will confuse them?" Sasuke asks a bit anxiously.

"I doubt it. They are less than a day old. It's not like they are going to be able to tell the difference. As long as they know you love them, I think they'll figure it out pretty quickly. You were amazing." Naruto assures Sasuke and kisses his cheek.

"So were you. Thanks for killing that prick." Sasuke mutters.

Naruto smirks. That had been fun. Maybe he had spent too much time in the Sound Village, but he had enjoyed it really. Kabuto had been asking for that, for a long time. The blonde had only been too happy to deliver.

"You're welcome, but I thought you didn't want me to do that?" Naruto says.

"Well technically, I asked you not to kill any INNOCENT people to protect our children. I think we both know that Kabuto wasn't innocent." Sasuke says smugly.

Naruto nods. Yeah. That's what he thought too. He was surprised that Sasuke agreed. Then again, maybe Sasuke had just been a bit more merciful as a woman. It was an interesting thought to ponder.

"So did you want to go for number three at some point or are the twins all you want? I mean Itachi is helping out. I'd love more kids, but I can completely understand if you never wanna go through that again." The blonde says.

"Maybe one or two more times. That should be a good start. I'm not going to lie though. I'd say it would be at least another year, maybe two or three before I am ready to endure that again." Sasuke says.

Naruto couldn't really blame Sasuke. He couldn't imagine what it was like to live as a woman for the better part of a year. Not to mention it had to be a pretty surreal experience to have sex as a woman and be pregnant. Sasuke was really brave in his own way.

"I can't blame you. Yeah. I'm good with that. Besides, I think we'll have our hands full with our princesses." Naruto beams.

"Mmm probably. They have your eyes and your whiskers." Sasuke muses.

The blonde nods. It was strange to see two babies with a combination of their features together, but beautiful. Oddly enough, his eyes really went well with Sasuke's face.

"And pretty much your everything else." The proud father says.

It was just then that Kushina began bawling her eyes out. Sasuke blinks and scoops her up. He smiles and cradles his youngest daughter in his arms, rocking her soothingly.

"It's alright. You are probably just hungry. Naruto, there are some bottles in the fridge. Get out two of them and make sure they are the right temperature. I'll feed Kushina and you can take Mikoto. She seems a bit more docile than her sister at the moment. So you should take her." Sasuke reasons.

"Hey! What's that supposed to me?" The blonde demands.

"That I sorta know what I'm doing and you don't?" Sasuke replies smugly and rocks Kushina in his arms more.

Naruto grumbles about stuck up bastards and goes to the kitchen. He couldn't really be mad at his Mate though. Sasuke had been through so much these past 9 or 10 months. Besides, the raven haired man was irresistible when he got all smug like that.

"Alright. I got the milk." He says a few minutes later, when he returns with two bottles.

"Great." Sasuke says and once Naruto hands him the bottle, he begins feeding Kushina.

Naruto smiles and picks up Mikoto. Once they were out of the hospital, it was rather clear she was the quieter of the two. Which was a damn good thing really. The blonde was kinda terrified he wouldn't be able to tell his identical twin daughters apart later on.

"Don't worry. You'll be able to tell. I'm sure if nothing else, their voices will end up being different." Sasuke assures him.

"Am I really that obvious?" Naruto asks as he feeds Mikoto.

"A little. That and there is the bond. It lets me know what you are feeling. So it's really not hard to fill in the blanks. You'll be a great father. God knows that you act like a child more than they do." The Submissive informs him.

Naruto raises an eyebrow. Oh that was it. Once the twins were asleep, he was going to drag their sassy father off and punish him for that crack. Sasuke was a man again. The blonde didn't have to be as gentle anymore.

"As soon as the girls are asleep, I'm going to find that hideous purple belt thing of yours and I'm going to tie you up and give you a spanking. You deserve it." Naruto warns him.

"You wish. If anyone is topping tonight that would be me. I MORE than earned it." The raven haired man says smugly as he tickles Kushina's belly, much to her delight.

"Oh yeah? I guess we'll see about that!" The blonde retorts.

Eventually, the new parents managed to put their twins to bed. The young lovers' didn't get any sleep themselves last night. They were far too enraptured with each other. Neither of them even noticed when the bed cracked underneath them from the force o their lovemaking and neither cared in the morning when they finally did.

"There went the bed." Sasuke muses as he tries to catch his breath and curls into his lover.

"It was so worth it though. Fuck that was amazing." Naruto says as he kisses Sasuke's forehead.

Sasuke couldn't help but agree. In his world, everything was perfect. He had Naruto, he had the twins, and he had even somewhat reconciled with Itachi. The new father should have known it wasn't going to last. This was merely the calm before the storm.


	25. Formula

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Uchiha Brothers are celebrating their new status as fathers, when Tsunade comes to visit the Sound.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews. I hope that you all enjoy this chapter.
> 
> Chapter Notation: Warning there is a very dark Sasuke and Naruto in this chapter. Though if you've made it this far, you probably expected that.

A month later and the Uchiha Clan now had three new members by blood and one by adoption. Currently, the Uchiha brothers were sitting in their respective lovers' laps and watching as the twins met their cousins. All four men thought that this was rather adorable to put it mildly.

The Uchiha sisters were slightly older and therefore bigger. Sasuke thought that his daughters might actually realize this. They seemed a bit smug. Then again, he might be imagining it.

Sasuke was intelligent enough to realize he might be projecting his own feelings onto his daughters. After all, his daughters were slightly older than Itachi's children. He couldn't help but feel smug at that knowledge.

"Why did you name the eldest Kosuke, anyway?" Sasuke asks his brother.

"It means rising Sun. He was born just as the Sun was rising and hasn't missed a sunrise since." Itachi replies.

Kosuke was Itachi's biological son. He had his father's midnight black hair and facial features. Yes, that included the markings on his face. Surprisingly, he had inherited the ivory cream skin tone of his uncle though. Even more shocking was that the baby's eyes were identical to his mother. They were pure gold.

Nothing seemed to rattle the infant. He wasn't scared of his cousins or his adoptive brother. He rarely cried and was just quietly glancing around his surroundings. Yes, this was definitely Itachi's son, Sasuke muses.

"Bit annoying really. He wakes us up every day at the crack of dawn, but the brat is too cute to stay mad at him." Kisame muses as he kisses Itachi's cheek.

"Did you just call our son a brat?!" Itachi glowers at him.

Sometimes he wished that he still had the Sharingan. That would make his glowers much more effective. Kisame deserved a rather scathing one for such a comment.

"With love, of course. He's a good brat. Also without your freaky eye thing, you just aren't as scary looking when you do that. I like the new eyes though. They are very pretty to look at. Obviously, I prefer the originals though." The Akatsuki member informs him nervously.

"The glower was effective. You're babbling. I'm satisfied." Itachi mutters.

"Well if you REALLY want to be satisfied, maybe your kid brother and his boy toy will agree to watch the kids for a couple days." The blue skinned man says and Itachi just rolls his eyes playfully at his lover's antics.

Nori giggles as if he understood what his parents were saying. He was Kisame's biological son. The only child of the four who wasn't an Uchiha by blood. To say the least, he was more exotic than his cousins and brother.

The baby had dark blue hair like Kisame. Mercifully, he hadn't inherited his father's aquatic colored skin. His skin tone was closer to Itachi's really. Nori had dark green eyes like his mother. He did take after Kisame in one more key area though. His teeth.

"I can't believe that kid was born with a full set of teeth." Naruto observes.

"Eh. He takes after me. Itachi insisted we formula feed him for obvious reasons though." Kisame says as he messes up his son's hair affectionately.

Sasuke nods in approval. Nori's teeth weren't as sharp as his father's yet, but they were pretty sharp. He mentally winces as he pictures someone trying to nurse that baby.

"So why did you name him Nori?" Naruto asks.

"Oh it means belief. I believed that eventually Itachi would stop playing the part of a martyr and not get his sexy ass killed. So I thought it was fitting." The shark toothed man says cheerfully and Itachi twitches.

"Adorable, Kisame. Truly." The eldest Uchiha grumbles.

Sasuke smiles as he watches the newborns all "play" together. Mostly they were just looking at each other and occasionally making small movements. His daughters were only two months old and the other couple's children were even younger. At this point, there wasn't much they could do.

Nori was by far the most active though. Kushina was the most vocal and aggressive. Kosuke was definitely serene. Mikoto seemed the most aware of her environment. She kept glancing back at the parents as much as at her playmates.

"They really are cute though." Kisame says.

"Yeah. How could they not be? I mean they have great genes." Naruto says cockily and that's when they heard a knock on the door.

Naruto goes to answer it and blinks when he saw a messenger. A Leaf Villager messenger at that. Oh that couldn't be good.

"Lord Naruto, forgive me for intruding, but Lady Tsunade instructed me to give you this." He says as he hands the other man the scroll.

That immediately got Sasuke's attention. He quickly got up and was at his Mate's side in an instant. He recognized that uniform. That brown eyed ninja was definitely from the Leaf Village. Instantly, he was on high alert.

"What does it say?" Sasuke whispers.

**Dear Naruto and Sasuke,**

**I am going to be visiting the Sound in the next few days. I believe it is time that the Leaf and Sound try to move beyond the rather unpleasant past with each other. I do hope that we can work out a peaceful coexistence.**

**That and I can't deny that I am eager to meet your twins. I heard that you had two daughters? Identical? You two are going to have your hands full in the next few years.**

**Sincerely, Lady Tsunade, the Fifth Hokage.**

Sasuke frowns. He didn't like the sound of that. Of course, he knew that it was only natural. Tsunade was going to want to come to the Sound Village sooner or later. She'd be an idiot not to do so.

"What do you think about this?" Sasuke whispers.

"I don't really like it, but we can't exactly say no. If we say no, she'll get suspicious. We'll figure something out. We always do." Naruto says.

* * *

Meanwhile in the Sand Village, Gaara got Mei her cupcakes. The cupcakes had a ridiculous amount of frosting on them. Apparently, their child had a sweet tooth.

It still fascinated him to know that there was another human being inside his wife's womb. A human being who was very hungry and perhaps a Taijutsu Specialist in the making. Their child kicked a lot.

"Here you go. How are you feeling, besides hungry?" Gaara asks.

"Oh I'm fine. I am worried about Naruto and Sasuke. Tsunade is eventually going to want to see their children. The twins look too much like them for the Hokage to sincerely believe that only one of them is the biological father. What if she asks too many questions?" The pregnant woman inquires.

Gaara sighs. It was something that he had spent quite a bit of time pondering. Mikoto and Kushina did look a great deal like both of their parents. Tsunade was bound to ask and he could only hope that his friends had a good excuse ready.

"I don't know, but she can't prove it without a paternity test. She can't conduct one of those without consent. Tsunade isn't going to get consent from either of them. Perhaps they will simply say they found a surrogate that looked a great deal like both of them because they wanted their twins to resemble both Naruto and Sasuke?" The red head suggests.

"I'm not entirely certain that she would buy it." Mei says.

Gaara sighs and nods in agreement. Well one could hope anyway. Still there wasn't much they could do about it at the moment and he did have a lot of matters to attend to.

"Well things seem to be on track for the International Academy." He muses.

"Mmm. I know what you are doing. You are trying to change the subject, so that you won't worry as much. You're lucky that I'm a kind woman and I'm going to humor you. I'm glad that the Academy is coming along nice though." She informs him and kisses his cheek.

"Yes, I'm very fortunate to have married such a kind woman. Now I do believe that they should spend at least a year in their home village's Academy. We don't want accusations of violating the sovereignty of other villages." He muses.

Mei couldn't disagree with that. A child should get to know their own village first before being thrust into another. That way they had some sort of worldview. A baseline to build from.

"That sounds like a good idea to me. Anything else?" She inquires as she bites into her cupcakes.

"I think that the various lesson plans should be tailored towards a child's age. That seems only proper, really." He adds.

"That's true. There are some weapons that you just don't want a ten year old messing with. No matter how gifted they might be." The pregnant woman replies.

"True enough." Gaara agrees as he glances over the mountain of paperwork that he had to finish.

It was far from the most glamorous aspect of his job. Still he knew that it had to be done. If he was going to make an International Academy, that meant that the Kazekage was going to have to battle and defeat the dreaded Paperwork Monster of Doom. Life just wasn't fair sometimes, he muses to himself.

* * *

A few days later, Tsunade arrives in the Sound. The entire Sound Village was aware of her arrival. To say the least, she received a rather frosty, though civil reception.

Most of the people in the Sound had been in the Bingo Book. A year ago, she would have arrested or killed them on sight. While their ethics might be questionable, most Sound Villagers weren't stupid. They knew this and that was why the atmosphere was suddenly very, very tense.

"Hey, Granny Tsunade! Sorry, about all this. I mean things got kinda crazy. Glad you could make it." Naruto says happily.

Maybe somehow they would get through this. Somehow Tsunade could have a look around and wouldn't ask too many questions. Perhaps she wouldn't notice that the twins looked too much like Sasuke and Naruto for it to be a coincidence and somehow she wouldn't find out the truth about Sakura.

**_"It's amazing really. Sakura somehow manages to be annoying, even in death. Sasuke was certainly right about her. I have to give our Mate that much."_** Kurama mutters in annoyance.

**"Kurama! That's not very nice. Sakura was our friend. She meant well. I just couldn't risk losing Sasuke and the twins over her. That's all. I didn't enjoy killing her and she wasn't annoying."** Naruto protests.

Tsunade smiles at Naruto. Well he seemed the same. If she tried, she could easily imagine that this last year hadn't happened. She could fool herself into believing that Naruto was still a Leaf Ninja and that Sakura was still alive. As tempting as that fantasy was, Tsunade knew that she couldn't indulge in it for too long.

This was reality. She had to live in the real world. Living in a dream world would only make reality even more painful when she woke up from her dream. Yes, she had to move forward. It's what Sakura would have wanted.

"I'm glad too. Well I have to say that I'm impressed. If I didn't know any better, I would say this was a respectable ninja village. Everything seems rather well organized." She muses.

"Hey! It IS a respectable ninja village. Yeah, most of these people had colorful histories before coming here, but things are different now. We are the real deal." The blue eyed ninja says brightly.

Tsunade doubted that. Maybe the Sound Villagers were good at putting on an acceptable public face. Still a leopard couldn't change its spots. She doubted that ninjas were much different in this capacity.

"Well I wish you all the luck in the world. I can't wait to meet your daughters. Where is Sasuke?" She inquires.

"I'm right here." Sasuke says as he pushes a stroller towards her.

He couldn't believe he was doing this. His every instinct was screaming at him to keep the twins as far away from Tsunade as possible. It wasn't because he thought that the medic would hurt innocent babies, but because of their strong resemblance to him and Naruto.

The busty blonde might realize something was up. She was highly intelligent. Even worse, she was a medic. Tsunade knew all about genetics and the odds of them being able to find a surrogate who looked enough like Naruto for this to be believable, were low. Damn it.

"Ah it's good to see you again, Sasuke. How are your girls doing?" She asks curiously as she heads over to the strollers.

"They are thriving." The raven haired man informs her proudly.

There was a subtle hint of steel to his voice. Sasuke didn't come out and say it directly, but the implication was rather clear. "They are thriving **_and they are going to say that way."_**

"That's wonderful news. I'm glad." The cinnamon eyed woman says as she leans over into the stroller.

She smiles. Well they were certainly adorable. They had Sasuke's dark hair, fair skin, and face. Other than Naruto's smile. They definitely had Naruto's smile. Oh and those gorgeous blue eyes and adorable whiskers were show stoppers.

Wait. The girls shouldn't have Naruto's features. Sasuke was the only biological father. Something was amiss here. She bites her lower lip and decides to pretend she hadn't noticed. She'd get to the bottom of this soon.

"They're adorable." Tsunade says.

"Yes, they are. They're really well behaved too!" The blonde says happily.

They spent the rest of the day showing Tsunade around. As night began to approach, the Hokage was forced to privately admit that they seemed to know what they were doing. She didn't know if that was supposed to make her feel better or worse though.

"Good night, Granny Tsunade. The girls have had a long day and it's probably best we put them to bed." Naruto says.

"Of course. I'll see you in the morning." The busty blonde says as she heads off.

* * *

Once Naruto and Sasuke were home and put the twins to bed, Sasuke sighs heavily. Tsunade hadn't come out and said it, but he knew. He knew that she knew that Mikoto and Kushina were their biological daughters.

He doubted very much that she had figured out how that was possible, but that was only a matter of time. The Uchiha knew that he would have to act quickly to protect his family. It wouldn't be pretty, but he knew what was required of him.

"It's going to be okay, Bastard. I know you're worried, but don't be. Everything is going great so far." Naruto says as he kisses his lover.

Sasuke smiles and kisses back. He loved Naruto. He loved his loveable dumb blonde and their children more than anything. If that meant he had to do something unsavory to protect them, then so be it.

"Yeah. You're right. That was really stressful though. I think a long, hot bubble bath might be just what we need to relax." Sasuke says.

Fortunately, Naruto was easily distracted. That was one of the things that Sasuke really appreciated about his Mate. He was both the most unpredictable ninja and the most predictable at the same time.

* * *

They spent most of the night together. At some point, they had made it to the bed. Sasuke smiles as he watches his sleeping lover and brushes the bangs out of his eyes.

"You protected us before. Now it's my turn to protect our family. You don't have to have anymore blood on your hands." Sasuke whispers.

Naruto was a mercifully heavy sleeper. The raven haired father knew that he wasn't going to wake up anytime soon. Despite this, he writes him a note anyway. He didn't want to risk that the blonde might wake up, while he was out and come looking for him.

**Dear Naruto,**

**We were running low on formula. I went out to get some. I'll be back soon.**

**Love, Sasuke.**

It wasn't a complete lie. They were running low on formula and he fully intended to pick some up. He just didn't mention that he was planning to kill the Hokage.

With that in mind, he swiftly heads to the hotel that Tsunade was staying in. It was pouring down rain and he planned to use that to his advantage. If nothing else, Sasuke was a master tactician.

It didn't take him long to get to Tsunade's room. Sasuke knocks on it. Scarcely a minute later, the busty blonde answered the door.

"Oh good morning, Sasuke. It's rather early for a visit. Isn't it? Would you like some tea or sake?" The Hokage asks.

"Tea would be fine. I know that it's early, but I think that we should talk. About the twins. I saw the way you looked at them." He states bluntly.

That made Tsunade's blood run cold. She had thought that she had successfully hidden her initial reaction. Mentally, she scolds herself. Of course, Sasuke was going to notice. He was very observant and most of all protective of his daughters. If someone looked at those kids funny, Papa Bear was going to come out to play and quickly.

"I have no idea what you mean." She protests.

"Tsunade, don't play dumb. It's an insult to both of our intelligence. You know that Mikoto and Kushina are mine AND Naruto's biologically." He seethes at her.

"Yes. What I don't understand is how?" The Leaf Villager replies in confusion.

Sasuke sighs. Well he was going to kill her. He supposed it wouldn't matter if she knew the truth or not.

"I used the Sexy Jutsu and carried them." He informs her.

Tsunade blinks. How was that even medically possible? More importantly though, how did Naruto get the proud Uchiha to agree to such a thing?

That's when it clicked. Sakura had taken her own life while their "surrogate" was pregnant. She had done so shortly after visiting the Sound. Sakura hadn't committed suicide. Her apprentice was murdered!

"You killed her! You killed Sakura! You filthy, backstabbing murderer! Poor Naruto has no idea what sort of vile treacherous, snake you really are!" Tsunade snarls at him.

"Actually, I didn't kill her. You see, Naruto most of the time is an angel. He can become a demon really quickly when it comes to protecting our family though. He's the one that did it. It doesn't really matter though." Sasuke says as he approaches her menacingly causing her to back up.

Slowly but surely, he kept walking towards her. Each time he did, she took a step back. Finally, they were on the balcony. Sasuke smirks. Perfect.

"YOU CORRUPTED HIM! YOU TURNED NARUTO INTO A KILLER!" The Hokage accuses him.

"Maybe I did corrupt him. Maybe deep down he was just like me all along. I don't know. Like I said, it doesn't matter. You are going to be joining Sakura soon enough anyway." The raven haired man informs her in a bored tone.

"OH YEAH?! TAKE THIS!" Tsunade says as she slams her fist into the floor of the balcony.

Her intention was to have it crumble and have him fall to his death. His neck would be snapped instantly. If that didn't do it, the rubble would crush him to death.

It didn't work out that way. Sasuke summoned Garuda just as the balcony was giving way and got on the bird's back. Tsunade had managed to cling to the edge, probably as she planned.

"It's nothing personal. I just can't have you tattling that Naruto killed Sakura. It'd set off another Great Ninja War. Garuda, shove her off." Sasuke says simply.

The Summon did as asked. Tsunade flails desperately as she tries to grab onto anything to keep her from falling. It didn't work though. She landed with a loud crash and Sasuke noted afterwards, she wasn't moving.

"Looks like her neck was snapped. Good. Good boy." Sasuke says smugly as he pets the Summon and has him fly him back to their home.

It was storming so badly and still dark enough out, that it was unlikely anyone had noticed the Summon. Sasuke mentally patted himself on the back for successfully carrying out his plan. It had worked like a charm.

When he found out that Tsunade was coming, he quickly gathered a lot of terminates and set them in the balcony of the Kage Suite. Only visiting Kages could use it. So he knew no one else would have to die with Tsunade.

"When they check, they will assume the rain caused her to slip and fall. Her weight caused the already weak wooden balcony to break and that she snapped her neck during the fall. A tragedy, but not one worth going to war over." He muses to himself.

* * *

A few moments later, Sasuke bounds through the door. He hoped that Naruto was still asleep. He wasn't. Damn.

"You forgot the formula." Naruto says.

"Yeah. I'll go out again. Sorry. I just got a bit sidetracked." Sasuke says.

"Sasuke, we have the Mating Bond. I can feel what you feel. I know you aren't lying to me, but don't treat me like I'm completely clueless. Did you kill her?" He demands.

Sasuke had the decency to look at his feet in contrition. Yeah. He killed her. Yeah. He'd do it again in a heartbeat. Sasuke would do anything to protect his family.

"Yes, I killed her. I killed her just like you killed Sakura. I did it for our family." The young father snaps at him.

"How'd you do it? Did she suffer?" The blonde demands.

"She fell off the balcony and snapped her neck. They'll never know that I did it. This way there won't be a war and she can't hurt us. It was over instantly. She didn't suffer. I'm sorry, Naruto. I know that you were fond of her." Sasuke says with a sigh.

Naruto shakes his head. He did love Granny Tsunade. He had liked Sakura too, but he loved his family more.

"It's okay. You did what had to be done. Now we don't have to worry about the Leaf ruining everything anymore." He says and Sasuke smiles.

"Yes, exactly." Sasuke says and suddenly Kushina starts crying.

"Though it would have been nice, if you really did pick up some milk. I think we have a couple bottles left though." Naruto says as he heads off to feed his more boisterous daughter.

Sasuke smiles and follows Naruto. He watches as his lover feeds Kushina and scoops up Mikoto in his arms. It was such a surreal experience. She looked enough like her grandmother, that it was like holding a ghost. That just made him even more protective of her through and Kushina.

"Don't worry. The Leaf won't get another chance to hurt our family." Sasuke says and he smiles as Mikoto coos happily, as if she understood him.


	26. No Regrets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Twelve years later, the Sound Village and Uchiha Clan are both thriving.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews. I hope that you all enjoy the grand finale of Always and Forever. Oh and if you're interested, please do feel free to check out my other stories. Happy reading. 
> 
> Chapter Notation: This is the epilogue. It's set twelve years after the last one. This chapter focuses heavily on the next generation. So if you aren't into finding out more about the kids, the last chapter also works as an ending. Oh and most of the children were named after the older Naruto generations. Sorry for any confusion.

"Dad, how did you know?" Kushina asks Naruto.

Naruto tilts his head. He had no idea what his twelve year old daughter was asking. That was a little vague to put it mildly.

"How did I know what? Sorry, you are gonna have to be more specific than that, Princess." Naruto says with a smile as he messes up her hair.

Kushina grumbles when he does that. Nothing annoyed the "Uchiha Princesses" more than having their hair messed up. The father of four was pretty sure it was a girl thing.

"How did you know that you liked men?" The Academy student clarifies.

"Oh well that's a long story. I mean your father always held my attention. Even when we were kids, I just wanted him to notice me. More than anything really. It took awhile to figure it out though. It was only after I followed him to the Sound that I realized that was even an option. I mean that loving someone who was the same gender as you was an option. Why do you ask?" The blue eyed Otokage inquires.

"Big Sister, got her first kiss today! That's why!" Jiraiya says.

Jiraiya was their third child. He was eight years old and their first son. Naturally, Naruto had named him after Pervy Sage as a way to pay his final respects.

"What? No way! That's great news, Kushina. Who is the lucky guy?" The proud father asks.

He had considered naming the boy Minato because he liked the idea of honoring his father. Sasuke had refused to allow it though. According to Sasuke, that would be "creepy."

Having one of their daughters named Kushina and one of their sons named Minato just seemed too weird. A brother and a sister shouldn't be named after their grandparents, in his mind. (Reluctantly, Naruto conceded that Sasuke had a point about that).

"It wasn't a guy! It was Asuka!" The younger blonde continues happily.

Yes, Jiraiya and his twin brother were blonde. This was much to Itachi's amusement and somewhat to Sasuke's mortification. It looked like Naruto's side of the family tree had decided to express itself more strongly with the second set of twins.

Jiraiya had blonde hair that was styled like his grandfather Minato. His eyes were obsidian black like Sasuke's though. The boy had certainly gotten Naruto's ears and nose, though the rest of his face looked like Sasuke. He lacked Naruto's whiskers and his skin tone was somewhere between both of his fathers. His younger brother, Shisui looked identical to him.

"You kissed Suigetsu and Karin's daughter?" Naruto asks dumbfounded.

Well, he supposed that he couldn't be upset. He was in love with a man. If Kushina preferred girls, that was okay. It surprised him though.

He didn't really know why. The Sound was a lot more open about that sort of thing than most other villagers. (Though that was slowly changing).

"It was an accident! We were just glaring at each other and some idiot bumped us together!" Kushina protests.

"Oh I've heard that one before." Sasuke says as he walks into the living room and kisses Naruto's cheek.

"What do you mean?" Their daughter asks in confusion.

Sasuke shakes his head. He had suspected that Kushina might favor girls over boys. Their youngest daughter had never really shown any interest in boys. So he wasn't entirely surprised to hear this. Though it was amusing that history was repeating itself.

"The same thing happened to your father and I when we were at the Academy." The Uchiha Patriarch says simply and Kushina's eyes widen in a panic.

"Sister, it's alright. I'm sure that you will both make beautiful brides, someday." Mikoto says as she helps Sasuke carry in some groceries.

"WHAT'D YOU SAY?!" Kushina demands as she twitches in anger.

Mikoto smiles serenely as she starts helping Sasuke take out some of the groceries from the bags. She knew that it was a little sadistic, but oh well. She was an Uchiha. It was to be expected.

"I said that you will both make beautiful brides someday. I look forward to being the Maid of Honor at your wedding. Will you be wearing a wedding kimono or your ninja uniform? You do strike me as the more masculine between the two of you. So I imagine she'd wear the kimono. Though I guess you could both wear them. Whatever makes you happiest." Mikoto says.

"YOU'RE SO DEAD! RASENGAN!" Kushina screams at her and charges up her attack.

The young woman's fist slams down on the table instead of her sister though. Unbeknownst to her, Mikoto had cast a Genjutsu that made her sister believe that the table was her. Ninjutsu users were so predictable.

"Mikoto, stop provoking your sister! Kushina! Stop destroying furniture!" Naruto calls out.

"SHE STARTED IT!" They both cry out.

Shisui comes in carrying a bag of groceries. The eight year old looks at his siblings in confusion. He felt like he had missed something.

"Do I even want to know?" He whispers to Jiraiya.

"Kushina kissed a girl and Mikoto teased her about it. So now Kushina is mad and Mikoto almost got hit by a Rasengan. She used a Genjutsu to dodge it though." Jiraiya whispers back.

Shisui just shakes his head. Girls could be so weird sometimes. He loved his big sisters, but they were strange. All girls were really.

"Alright. Come on. The celebration is going to be starting soon." Naruto tells them.

It was the anniversary of the Sound becoming an official ninja village. Every year, they held a grand festival to celebrate. Most of the Sound Villagers were old enough to remember a time when it had been run by Orochimaru. So they were still rather proud that it was now officially recognized by all the other villages.

The children of the Sound, well they just saw it as an excuse to have a good time. They all seemed to greatly enjoy the fireworks, music, food, and games. Once Naruto mentioned the festival, his daughters quickly forgot about their fight.

"Works like a charm, every time." Sasuke says with a smirk as they finish putting away the groceries and head out.

* * *

The Sun was just going down and already people were filling the streets. Music was playing and there must have been dozens of booths selling food or with games around. It was too early for fireworks just yet, but Sasuke knew that it was just a matter of time.

"Look! It's Cousin Kosuke and Nori!" Shisui says happily as he bounds over to his cousins.

The other Uchiha children soon joined him. Shisui was definitely the social butterfly of the group. He was always the first to greet people and the last to leave any celebration. Like Naruto, he definitely loved being around people. He was a natural extravert.

"Hey, Shisui." Nori says as he shoots him a shark toothed grin.

Yeah. Nori's teeth hadn't gotten any duller with age. If anything, they were now much closer to that of a shark's than a human. He didn't mind that though. Sasuke was pretty sure he got a kick out of it.

"It looks like they are setting up a rather impressive display of fireworks this year. Bigger than last years." Kosuke adds.

"Really? This is going to be so awesome! Hmm. I wonder if I can help them with the display!" Jirayia muses out loud.

Jiraiya was the most mischievous of the bunch. Nori was the most aggressive. That meant they were partners in crime. Which naturally meant they were the most likely to drive their parents crazy.

"I figured that the two of you would try to get into some mischief. So I already told those manning the fireworks not to let you in while they are getting set up. I love you two, but I remember what happened last time." Itachi says.

The year before, they had snuck in. Jiraiya and Nori had somehow gotten hold of some fireworks and used some minor jutsus to make it act like a dragon. That dragon had scared the living daylights out of their Academy Instructor. Apparently, the two of them weren't particularly fond of said instructor and that's why they did it.

He just thanked God that Kosuke with his mind reading jutsus, wasn't nearly as mischievous as they were. That would have been a disaster. Thankfully, Kosuke had more of a scholarly nature than most of his relatives. (Other than Mikoto who was more similar to her cousin in that respect than her siblings).

"Awe. We were just having some fun!" They pout and Itachi just shakes his head.

It was amazing, Naruto muses to himself. After Kisame and Itachi had Nori and Kosuke, they had all decided to tell the ninja world the truth about the Uchiha Massacre. It had taken people awhile to get used to the fact that Itachi and Kisame were "good guys," but they finally did after a couple of years.

Well, maybe good guys was stretching it. They both had rather bloody histories, but the main point is that they weren't completely evil. Finally, people had accepted that. Though people still tended to look at Itachi and Kisame a bit warily sometimes.

"Your son almost gave your teacher a heart attack." Itachi says.

"Oh come on, Itachi. Admit it. It was pretty funny. Besides, boys will be boys." Kisame says with a laugh.

This earned a dirty look from his lover. Honestly, Kisame was absolutely hopeless when it came to disciplining children. Who knew that the former S Class Criminal would end up having such a soft spot for kids, Itachi wondered to himself.

"Kisame, you are not helping." He says with an exasperated sigh.

"Hey, Dad. Some of my friends are over there from school. You mind if I go play with them?" Shisui asks Naruto.

"Nah. It's fine. Just be back in time for the fireworks." He says and Shisui heads off.

* * *

Sasuke simply shakes his head as he watches Shisui play with his friends. It soon became rather apparent that they were having some sort of contest with weapons. Shisui favored weapons over jutsus when given a choice.

Really, it was amazing how good he was with kunais, bow and arrows, and other weapons. By far though, his favorite toy was his demon wind shuriken. Naturally, that's what he decided to use for the "game." Oh boy.

"Sasuke, do you really think it's a good idea to let him play with such a lethal weapon?" Itachi asks in concern.

"He's young, but he knows what he's doing. It'd be nice if he didn't show off in front of the other kids though. I guess he's like Naruto in that respect. Like Kisame said, boys will be boys." Sasuke says after debating his answer for a minute.

"And it looks like girls will also be girls." His brother notes in open amusement.

That got Sasuke's attention immediately. It looked like Kushina and Asuka had found each other. The two were bickering over the **_Kissing Incident._** While Mikoto had wondered off to one of the game booths.

"What do you have to do to get that big giant panda?" Mikoto asks the person running the booth.

"Well you have to hit at least seventy balloons with one hundred or fewer darts." The man explains with a smile.

Just then someone walks over to them. It was Seiko. He was Gaara's son. The Academy student had inherited his father's blood red hair, though it was styled like Madara's had been. His eyes were the same color as his mother and he also had Gaara's eye markings. He was surprisingly tall for his age, easily towering over Mikoto.

"Is the use of chakra allowed or does it have to be done in the old fashioned way?" Mikoto's classmate asks. (The Uchihas all attended the International Academy and so did Seiko).

"It's allowed. I mean if you are willing to pay to play, there's no reason you shouldn't be allowed to play to the best of your abilities." The man says.

"Good." He says as he pays for a hundred darts.

Seiko had inherited his father's looks, but his mother's bloodlines. So he simply uses boil release to throw the darts and burn away all one hundred of the balloons. Well that was easy.

"This is for you." He says and hands her the panda.

"Thanks!" Mikoto says and she smiles as she kisses his cheek, causing him to blush as red as his hair.

Gaara sighs as he and Mei make their way over to the Uchiha family. He looks at Sasuke and they both exchange knowing looks. This was going to become rather annoying and quickly.

"Uchiha, I swear if your seductress of a daughter hurts my son in any way, I will Sand Coffin her." He warns him.

"My SEDUCTRESS of a daughter?! She's twelve! He's the one trying to win her over with stuffed animals! And if you even think about touching my daughter, I will rip you apart limb from limb!" Sasuke snarls.

Naruto blinks. Uh oh. He could feel from the Mating Bond that this could get ugly and rather quickly. He was going to have to step in.

"Guys, their just kids. Besides, it's kinda cute. Oh and Gaara that was NOT cool. Don't threaten my daughter again. I mean I wasn't threatening to Rasengan your son's nuts off, if he hurt our princess!" The blonde retorts.

"But you were thinking it." Gaara says accusingly.

"Well maybe a little. You're my friend, Gaara. But she's my daughter. You know how it is." Naruto says sheepishly.

Itachi and Mei both cover their faces in their hands. Honestly, they were surrounded by idiots sometimes. They loved their respective idiots, but it was time for them to put their foot down.

"Alright. I think everyone has suitably "protected" their children from the dangers of dating for now. Let's just enjoy the festivities, shall we?" Itachi asks.

"Yes, I think that's a grand idea myself." Mei agrees.

Jiraiya and Nori just shake their heads. They were surrounded by crazy people. Each of them loved their families, but everyone in it was crazy. (Well everyone except for them)!

"Sasuke, what's up with your daughter kissing mine?" Suigetsu asks as he walks over with Karin.

"Suigetsu, leave it be. I'm not in the mood to deal with your stupidity. It was an accident. It's not a big deal. I'm sure that when they end up getting married, she'll have you walk her down the aisle. So you've got nothing to worry about." Sasuke says.

Naruto blinks. Oh yeah. Mikoto definitely took after Sasuke. They could be vicious and sassy divas when they wanted to be. It looked like there were going to be a lot of fireworks going on tonight and not just the ones in the sky!

"My stupidity?! You're the one who has a klutz for a daughter!" The white haired man snaps at him.

Oh that did it. Naruto shoves Suigetsu against the nearest tree and holds him there by his throat. He had never really cared for the water lover much anyway. So he certainly wasn't going to allow him to insult one of his princesses.

"What did you say about MY daughter, Fish Face?!" The blue eyed Kage growls at him menacingly.

"Naruto! Let go of my husband!" Karin shouts at him.

"Not until this creep says he's sorry for insulting my daughter." The blonde informs her.

Sasuke sighs. Suigetsu had just been asking for that one. He sighs and glances over at the two bickering girls who were about a hundred yards away.

Asuka had her mother's vibrant hair and Suigetsu's violet eyes. Sasuke had never been interested in women, but it was obvious that she was going to be considered quite the beauty in a few years. If his daughter was going to prefer women, he could at least see why Kushina would be physically attracted to the other girl. That didn't make Asuka's father any less annoying though.

**_"As much as I would love for you to snap his neck, it would annoy our Mate. If you want to mount him again sometime this year, I wouldn't do it."_** Kurama advises him.

**"Damn it. I guess you're right. It's so fucking tempting though. He's been asking for this for years."** Naruto grumbles.

Thankfully, the blonde releases the other member of Taka. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief that this day wasn't going to turn into a blood bath. A crisis had been adverted.

Speaking of adverting disaster, Sasuke sighs as he remembered Tsunade. He still felt a bit guilty about killing her. She hadn't done anything wrong, but it had been a preemptive strike really.

"You can't just throw your weight around like that, Naruto! It's not cool!" Karin insists.

"Since when do you ever have an issue with Suigetsu getting his ass kicked?" The blonde demands.

"Since he's my husband and I'm the only one allowed to beat him up." The feisty red head informs her distant relative.

Maybe Tsunade would have kept her mouth shut about Sasuke and Naruto both being the twins' biological fathers, but she wouldn't have about Sakura. Naruto had killed Sakura. Sakura had been Tsunade's apprentice. That was grounds for a war.

So he had taken her life to prevent a war between the Sound and Leaf. A war that likely would have eventually dragged the other ninja villages into it. One life to save possibly tens of thousands.

"That's right! Wait. What?" The sword lover asks in confusion.

"Suigetsu, I would just go with it." Jugo says with a smile as he walks over to the group.

Suigetsu grumbles. First, Naruto threw him around. Then Karin said she was the only one allowed to beat him up and now Jugo was in on it? What was this? Pick on Suigetsu Day?

In a way, Sasuke supposed he was now like Itachi. He had put the needs of the many above a smaller group. Mostly though, he just wanted to protect his family. He would have done anything to protect them. He had killed for them and he would do it again, if it came down to it.

"Are you enjoying the festivities, Jugo?" Itachi asks.

"Yes, I am. I was just coming to tell all of you that they are about to start the fireworks. I didn't think that you would want to miss the beginning." He says with a smile.

"Oh good point. HEY, GUYS THE FIREWORKS ARE ABOUT TO START. COME ON! WE NEED TO FIND GOOD SEATS!" Naruto calls out.

Idly, Sasuke was impressed by Naruto's lung capacity. That and how quickly their kids came running towards them. He noticed that Mikoto was dragging her "sexy panda" behind her and that Kushina and Asuka were racing towards them as well.

"Alright. Let's get going then." Sasuke says with a smile as they head off to watch the fireworks.

* * *

Meanwhile back in the Leaf Village, Shizune and Kakashi place some flowers on Sakura and Tsunade's graves. The two of them often visited their graves together and made sure there were always beautiful flowers on top of them. It seemed like the least they could do.

"Do you think that they are at peace now, My Love?" Shizune asks.

"I like to think so. I'm sure that Tsunade would be glad the peace between the ninja villages has been maintained all these years and the same goes for Sakura." He answers her.

After the deaths of their loved ones, the two of them had grieved together. Somehow, they had come to rely on each other through the coping process. Comfort turned to friendship and friendship turned to love. They had been happily married for about eleven years now.

"Good. Well I think the worst of the fallout from the Uchiha Massacre is finally over. The Leaf's reputation is almost back to normal." She says as they walk off together, hand in hand.

"Good. It was touch and go for awhile. That nearly destroyed us. Let's go sit on the top of the Hokage Mountain. We should be able to see the fireworks from there. I wonder if Jiraiyaand Nori will meddle with the displays again." The silver haired ninja muses out loud.

"I'm sure that they will. It's Jiraiya and Nori." She says with a smile as they go off to do exactly that.

* * *

A few hours later, the fireworks were over. Sasuke and Naruto had finally gotten done lecturing Nori and Jiraiya for meddling with the fireworks again. It seems that the sneaky children had made clones and managed to get the fireworks to spell out, **_Nori and Jiraiya Rule!_**

Jiraiya's special jutsu was that he could control his density. He could spread out his molecules enough to become invisible or to become so dense it was almost impossible to injury him. Unfortunately for him, he hadn't perfected it yet. He could only hold either of those forms for a couple minutes. Apparently, that was long enough though.

Nori was one of the fastest ninjas that Sasuke had ever seen. He was also a skilled Taijutsu Expert in the making. If Jiraiya could sneak them in, Nori could complete any prank they had in mind.

"Oh come on. You have to admit that was pretty funny." Naruto says with a laugh as they stumble into their room.

"Alright. I'll admit that it was kinda funny. Still what are we going to do with them?" Sasuke says with a sigh.

"Oh they are just kids. They'll grow out of it eventually. Remember when I painted the Hokage Mountain and everyone got all mad? It's the same thing." The blonde assures his lover.

Sasuke nods. He remembered that quite clearly. He wasn't called the number one hyperactive, knuckle headed, and most unpredictable ninja for nothing. Thankfully, Naruto utilized his vast creativity in different ways now. Much more sensual ways actually.

"I remember that. The world should be very grateful that now we finally have a much more productive use for all your energy." Sasuke says with a smirk as he playfully pins his lover to the bed.

"Oh yeah. They definitely should be grateful for that. I love you, Bastard. You know that, right?" Naruto asks after kissing him.

Sasuke smiles and returns the kiss. It was a silly question to ask. Of course, he knew that. They had the Mating Bond. Even if they didn't though, he would know.

"I know that. I love you too. I always have and I always will." The raven haired ninja says.

"Always and forever." Naruto says with a smile.

**_"You know that is still redundant! Always and forever mean the same thing!"_** Kurama interjects.

Naruto twitches. Damn Kurama. He just had to go and ruin the moment!

"Naruto, are you alright? I just felt you get rather irritated." Sasuke asks in confusion and a little alarm.

"Yeah. I'm fine, but Kurama won't be. If he doesn't shut up, I'm going to turn him into a nice fur coat!" Naruto grumbles.

"I have a better idea. Why don't we traumatize the furball?" Sasuke asks with a smirk.

"I like the sound of that!" The other Otokage says with a smirk and the two spend the rest of the night together.

When the morning came, both lovers were extremely satisfied. Kurama was another story though. He was thoroughly traumatized. He was perfectly fine with two males mounting each other, but he hadn't expected them to use clones!

"Do you ever regret leaving the Leaf?" Sasuke asks as the two were sharing a lovers' embrace.

"Not for a minute. I have you and our children. Hell, we even have Itachi, Kisame, and Taka. I've got everything that I ever really wanted. What about you?" The blonde asks.

"I feel the same way." Sasuke says with a smile and they both drift off to sleep.

Each of them was content with the knowledge that they were safe with their most precious person. It was very easy for the two of them to fall asleep in their lover's arms because they knew that nothing and no one would ever be able to separate them. They would be together for always and forever.


End file.
